


Devotion

by Elly3981



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Art Included!, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-06
Updated: 2016-12-07
Packaged: 2018-09-06 20:06:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 47,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8767321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elly3981/pseuds/Elly3981
Summary: A series of one-shots taking place at various times in the SnK/AoT series timeline, mostly revolving around the relationship of Eren and Mikasa and the trials that tested their devotion and love. Other characters may come into play as well.





	1. Prelude to the Legend

For those of you who have read my SnK/AoT fics before, I want my readers to know that instead of posting them separately as I have in the past, I have decided to put them together into a small saga with short stories taking place at various times in the series. The scenes will flash back and forth in the story timeline depending on when I have the ideas to write them. Some may take place during Eren and Mikasa's childhood, some during the series, and some years later. My saga will revolve mostly around Eren and Mikasa's relationship but other characters may come into play as the ideas come to me. I will also consider requests and suggestions from my reviewers as well so if you have an idea you would like to see written, please drop me a PM or review and I will see what I can do ;) My saga will be mostly 'T' rated and anything 'M' rated that I can think of will have to be posted separately but I will make it known in my A/N after each fic. On another note, my saga will be mostly anime-based since I have not had a chance to read the manga yet but in the meantime, enjoy what I have so far and please review! ;)

On another note, I have written and posted these stories on Fanfiction.Net right about when season one of the anime ended and before the continuation of the manga based on what I think would happen. Some events did not turn out as I expected so some of my one-shots may be inconsistent with the canon AoT timeline and have become slightly AU-ish. Nonetheless, I hope my readers will enjoy them anyway :)


	2. More Than a Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) or any of the characters from the series. I write this fic for your enjoyment only (and mine too) I hope you like it! ^^ I just finished watching this series to the latest episode recently and I loved it. I was inspired to write this upon seeing Mikasa's devotion to Eren and how she stuck by him even when everyone else doubted him. This story takes place roughly after Eren's trial (between episodes 14-15) when he is being treated for his injuries by Hanji. It will be slightly AU but still canon enough to have actually happened in the series. Anyway, enjoy and please review! ;)

"Miss Ackerman, you may come in now."

Mikasa looked up from her seat in the waiting room and saw Professor Zoe Hanji, the Survey Corp's chief science officer, standing in the opened doorway to Eren's hospital room where he was still recovering from the hectic events of his recent trial. Upon her superior's approval, she quickly got up and went inside the room; it was to be the first time she saw her foster brother since the trial where it was decided that he was to be handed over to the Survey Corps instead of the Military Police. Mikasa could not help but smile bitterly at the irony considering that this was what Eren had always dreamed of and now he was going to be stuck with them permanently whether he wanted it or not.

When she finally entered the dimly lit hospital room, Mikasa found Eren fast asleep on the bed with bandages wrapped around his head as well as parts of his bare chest and midsection where she was sure he must have had at least a few broken ribs. The bruises on his face also appeared to be healing quickly and well; at the rate Eren was recovering, he was expected to be back to normal within a few days, an incredible feat considering that he took a beating that would have taken an ordinary person weeks, even months to recover from- if they survived.

"How is he?" Mikasa asked her superior quietly, trying to keep her voice down as to not disturb her foster brother's much needed rest.

Professor Hanji smiled. "He's doing well; I've been monitoring his progress ever since he was brought in for treatment. His vital signs have stabilized so I assure you he's going to be just fine; he just needs his rest, that's all. At the rate he's healing, he'll be up and about in no time."

Mikasa frowned. She had no doubt that Eren would recover physically but his mental recovery might be another story entirely. "Professor Hanji, can I ask you a question?"

"You may call me Zoe when we are alone. And yes, of course, I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have."

Mikasa tried her hardest to hold back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes as she managed to utter one word "Why?"

Professor Hanji's expression softened as she gently placed a hand on her subordinate's shoulder. "Mikasa… I know that you are upset with Corporal Levi and I don't blame you for it but please understand that it was quite necessary in order to get the court to hand Eren over to us instead of sentencing him to death. You may find this very difficult to believe, but the corporal was actually protecting your friend, not that I'm saying I actually approve of how he went about it as I'm sure there must have been another way, but we didn't have the luxury of time and he had to act quickly."

Upon hearing that, the young girl finally let her tears fall and her superior embraced her, gently stroking her hair as if trying to comfort a child. Knowing that Levi's actions towards Eren were taken with the intention of saving his life still did very little to ease her feelings of contempt towards the man. Never in her life had she felt so helpless and powerless as when she and Armin were forced to watch in horror as their dear friend was brutally beaten in front of countless people, many of whom were in high places. And while Eren himself may forgive Levi for the suffering and humiliation he endured, Mikasa wasn't so sure if she could do the same. As soon as she had witnessed the first blow, her first instinct was to charge forward and rip the man's throat out and might have tried if Armin had not stopped her; as much as she hated to admit it, she was glad he did for it would not have helped Eren's case if she had indeed intervened.

"I appreciate you letting me know but you'll understand if it doesn't make me feel a whole lot better."

"Of course, I understand. But what's done is done and right now, the most important thing is to help Eren get back on his feet again. I'm sure he would agree with me and not want you to dwell on the past" Hanji said gently as she released Mikasa before taking a seat next to the sleeping Eren's bed. Mikasa herself took a seat on the other side before taking his hand in her own. As she looked at his peacefully sleeping face, another question came to her, a question she was afraid to ask but felt she must.

"Zoe… I must know... is Eren a titan?"

The professor raised an eyebrow as she sighed and did her best to answer her subordinate's question even though she wasn't certain herself. "No… he's actually quite different. He's definitely not a normal human being but I still wouldn't put him in the same league as those monsters either."

"Was he born like this?"

"It is a possibility but I still don't know enough about him to be certain, at least not yet."

"I see…so what is to become of him now?"

"Don't worry, Mikasa. Eren has been entrusted to our care and I will personally see to his complete recovery until he is fit for duty again; I assure you, your friend is in good hands."

Mikasa could not help but sigh in relief. Professor Hanji may be a lot of things but dishonest wasn't one of them as she was trusted by many of her subordinates and superiors; if the woman said she would help Eren, Mikasa would trust her word and leave it at that. Upon observing her reaction, Hanji decided to change the subject.

"Mikasa… Eren is very dear to you, is he not?"

The young girl almost jumped at the unexpected question. "O-of course! He's like family to me, I've known him since we were kids. His parents were very good to me; they took me in when I lost my own family and treated me like their own daughter. I'm sure you already know the story since it was revealed to everyone in court."

"Yes, I remember every detail; Eren took on three grown men to protect you when he was only nine years old."

"Yes, they kidnapped me and I don't know what else they would have done if Eren had not been there to save me. I owe him my life and will always stick by him as a sister should."

Hanji could not help but smile wickedly as she knew the girl was not telling the whole truth. It was well known among the ranks that Mikasa was adopted into the Jaeger family and that she and Eren were not related by blood. And while she may try to pass off her affections for her foster brother as that of a loving sister, Hanji knew better; the girl wasn't fooling anyone. Still, the professor wanted to confirm her suspicions, even if only for amusement; she may even lift her subordinate's spirits in the process.

"I see…Eren was very strong and brave for doing that…" Hanji began before trailing off to see how Mikasa would react.

The girl nodded, unaware of what her superior was trying to do. "Yes, he was. He still is."

"Very strong and brave… and very handsome too, is he not?" Hanji pressed, her smile growing wider.

"Yes…very…" Mikasa admitted before she realized what she was saying. She regretted the confession as soon as it left her mouth and found herself blushing to the roots of her raven hair. The professor could not help but laugh; she was so clever she amazed even herself at times.

"Haha… its alright, Mikasa, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. We all know you and Eren aren't blood siblings and that you aren't children anymore. I wasn't making fun of you; in fact, I commend your devotion to each other and I think that is something to be proud of. Even Commander Smith and Corporal Levi agrees; they told me so."

Mikasa blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Of course" Hanji answered as her expression softened and she became serious again. "You love him, don't you?" she asked gently.

"Yes… and that is why I cannot forgive those who still want to see him killed, even after all the lives he saved, just because he is different from them."

"I understand how you feel but you cannot blame people for being afraid. Even Eren is afraid of himself; his very existence strikes fear into his own heart. He may not want to admit it, but I can see it in his eyes."

"Still…its inexcusable what those ungrateful bastards at court tried to do" Mikasa said with her fists clenched as she felt the urge to cry again but restrained herself. It disgusted and pained her to know that asides from those who wanted him dead, there were also people who wanted Eren alive only so that they could exploit his titan powers and use him as a weapon without any regard for his life as a human being.

The professor sensed her thoughts for she gently placed her hand over Mikasa's, the one that was holding Eren's. "Mikasa…I know what you're thinking and want you to know that you are not alone; you may not realize it, but Eren does have many friends among us, people who care for him and value him for so much more then just his powers. I know because… I am one of them."

Upon hearing Hanji's words of comfort, Mikasa smiled. "Thanks, Zoe. I'm sure Eren would be very happy to hear that."

"You're welcome, I'm sure he would too. And besides…he is far too… pleasing to do away with if I do say so myself" the professor said with a wink.

Mikasa found herself blushing again; there was no denying that she agreed with the professor's statement and she would look like a fool if she tried. She had seen the way other girls looked at Eren. Girls like Annie, Sasha, Krista, as well as many others and not wanting the older woman to see how embarrassed she was, tried to avoid looking Hanji in the face by allowing her gaze to fall upon her sleeping foster brother which only served to remind her how right her superior truly was about Eren. He wasn't a child anymore but a young man, a very handsome young man whom she could no longer deny she had feelings for.

"Yes…you are right… in any case, I think I should be going now. I feel a lot better now that I know Eren will be alright. Maybe I'll grab a meal since I haven't had anything to eat all day."

"I see… would you mind if I joined you? I'll have someone else watch Eren while I'm gone so you need not worry."

Mikasa nodded. "Yes, of course, I'd be honored."

The professor smiled. "Good. I'll go call for someone to take my place now and meet you at the mess hall in a few."

"Yes, that would be perfect. Is it ok if I have a moment alone with Eren before I go?"

"Of course, my dear, go ahead. I'll be taking my leave now" the older woman said as she got up and left Mikasa in alone in the room with her foster brother. As soon as Hanji was gone, she stood up, leaned over, and brushed her lips over his.

"I love you, Eren, and nothing will ever changed that. Nothing…"

And with that, Mikasa finally got up and left the room, giving him one last adoring look before closing the door.

After Mikasa had left, Eren slowly opened his eyes and his lips parted in a weak smile. Unknown to his foster sister and superior, he had been awake the whole time and overheard everything and was glad to know that there were still people who believed in and cared for him, even after discovering his terrible secret. Before closing his eyes and letting himself fall back into blissful slumber, he whispered:

"I love you too, Mikasa…"


	3. The Last Thing You Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) or any of the characters from the series. I write this fic for your enjoyment only (and mine too) I hope you like it! ^^ I just finished watching this series to the latest episode recently and I loved it. I was inspired to write this upon seeing Mikasa's devotion to Eren and how she stuck by him even when everyone else doubted him. This story takes place roughly after Eren's trial (between episodes 14-15) when he is being treated for his injuries by Hanji. It is the sequel to my other AoT fic 'More then a Brother' and I recommend reading that one first ;) Anyway, on with the show!

"Eren…can you hear me? Its time to wake up now…"

Eren slowly opened his eyes to find himself lying in bed in a dimly-lit hospital room with a brunette woman leaning over him. She appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties and wore her hair in a topknot as well as a pair of square-rimmed glasses. He recognized this woman as he saw her present at his recent trial and knew who she was since he had overheard the conversation between her and Mikasa the day before. Still, Eren did not want the woman to know he had been eavesdropping so he feigned ignorance and pretended he didn't recognize her.

"Hello… who are you?" he asked innocently as he placed his hand over his bandaged head where he felt a slight ache.

The woman gave a soft laugh. "Oh my, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself: I am Professor Zoe Hanji, chief science officer of the Survey Corps. I have been assigned to monitor your recovery until you are fit for duty again."

Eren raised an eyebrow. Even if he had never seen her before, the name was enough to make him feel queasy. Professor Zoe Hanji was infamously known as the 'Mad Scientist' among her subordinates and superiors alike because for all her scientific brilliance, she always behaved like a little kid who's had way too much sugar whenever she got excited and that alone made her even more frightening and intimidating then the stone-faced Corporal Levi.

Trying not to think of what the professor had in store for him, he asked "What happened? How did I get here?" He already knew the answer but had to put on an act so that Hanji would not be suspicious of him; the woman was getting uncomfortably close as she eyed him the way she would eye a lab animal to be experimented on and Eren found his eyes watering in his nervousness and wishing she would back off at least a little.

Fortunately, Hanji took the hint and stepped back as she answered his question while trying her best to avoid mentioning his ordeal with Levi since that was the last thing the youth needed to hear now that he was finally awake. "You passed out not long after the judge decided that you were to be given into the custody of the Survey Corps. Do you remember that?"

"Yes, I think so. I don't remember passing out though…"

"Yes, well that doesn't surprise me; you were exhausted and under a lot of stress as anyone else in your place would have been. Anyway, after you passed out, I had a few of my squad members carry you here where I've been treating you and monitoring your progress ever since."

"I see… how long have I been here?"

"Almost five days. You were in pretty bad shape when you were brought in and I thought it would take a lot of work to treat you but found to my surprise that your body was healing at a phenomenal rate. All of your broken bones have mended on their own without splinters and all you have now are minor bruises; you should be back in perfect condition by tomorrow or maybe even tonight."

Eren took in the professor's words as he ran a hand along his jaw and down to his ribs where he had been struck the hardest. He definitely remembered feeling a few of them break when Levi kicked him in the side and at least a few of his teeth crack where he was hit in the face; he was also sure his jaw had been dislocated as well. If he was an ordinary person, he would no doubt still be in terrible pain but found to his surprise that all he felt were some slight aches from his bruises.

Upon observing Eren's examination of himself, Hanji asked "How do you feel now?"

"Better then I did when I came here, that's for sure."

The professor smiled. "Good, I'm glad to hear that. Commander Erwin Smith has been asking about you; he says he's looking forward to speaking with you when you have fully recovered. Corporal Levi too."

Eren could not help but scowl at the mention of the man who practically humiliated him in front of the entire military tribunal and upon seeing the look of displeasure on his face, Hanji regretted mentioning Levi and apologized.

"Eren, I'm truly sorry about what happened. And I don't blame you for being angry but believe it or not, the corporal was actually trying to protect you by putting on a show to prove that you were truly on the side of humans. And he had to make it look convincing otherwise, the court might have executed you on the spot. You may hate him now but you'll eventually thank him someday. And besides, Corporal Levi has been asking me about your progress quite often since you were placed in my care. He even came here a few times to check up on you while you were unconscious."

Eren was shocked at the professor's revelation. "Really?"

"Of course. The corporal may appear cold on the surface but he is far from uncaring. The last time we spoke, I expressed my... disapproval of how he went about protecting you and he did admit that he went a little too far even though there wasn't a lot of time or choices with your life hanging in the balance. He understands if you don't want to speak to him right now and asked me to apologize to you for him as soon as you woke up."

Eren looked down as he silently processed the professor's words. "I see… if that is the case, then I bear no grudge against him; dwelling in the past won't do me any good now. The question is, what's going to happen to me? Where will I go from here?"

Hanji could not help but smile at the youth's maturity in choosing not to hold a grudge against her superior. His positive attitude would make working with him a lot easier and for that, she was grateful. And though the professor still knew very little about the young man, she was already starting to like him a lot.

"You will work under the Survey Corps, not as our prisoner, but as one of us. Commander Smith will give you all the details as soon as you're well enough to see him. And if its all right with you, I'd also like to study your titan powers a bit since we're going to need to know as much about them as possible, especially so you can learn how to control them. After all, we wouldn't want another accident like the time you lashed out at your friend, Mikasa, would we?"

Upon the mention of his foster sister, Eren felt his heart sink. He didn't need to be reminded twice of how he nearly killed her and worse, couldn't even remember it. Hanji sensed his discomfort and gently placed her hand upon his. "I know what you're thinking, Eren. And I want you to know that Mikasa doesn't blame you for what happened; it wasn't your fault. You only recently discovered your powers and just need guidance in learning how to control them and I promise to do everything I can to help you with that if you'll let me."

Eren looked at the professor, unsure of what to make of her offer. When he was still a cadet, he remembered hearing a lot of not-so-positive rumors about this woman and her obsession with titans so of course, he was uncomfortable with the idea of letting her experiment on him but did not want to offend her by refusing since she had been taking care of him from the first day he was brought in for treatment after his stressful trial.

Upon seeing the hesitation in his eyes, the professor simply smiled and gently massaged his hand with her fingers. "Its alright, Eren, I understand how you must feel as I'm sure you must have heard all those wild rumors about me. However, I can assure you that I'm really not _that_ crazy. I still haven't forgotten that you're human and would never treat you like a lab rat. Try to think of me as your doctor and yourself as my patient" she assured him with a wink.

Eren could not help but sigh with relief upon hearing Hanji's promise. He didn't know why, but for some reason, he felt that she was truly sincere in her desire to help him in exchange for knowledge about his powers which he guessed was a small price to pay if he could learn how to control and use them to benefit humanity.

"Very well, I will trust you then. And by the way, would it be all right if I go outside for a bit? I've been cooped up in here for almost a week and could use some fresh air."

Hanji raised an eyebrow. "Of course, I personally wouldn't mind but I do have strict orders not to let you wander off. However, if you'll promise me that you won't leave the hospital grounds, I'll bend the rules and let you go for a bit so long as you keep it a secret from my superiors."

Eren smiled. "Yes, I promise. You have nothing to worry about; I would never do anything to bring their displeasure down on you since you've been so good to me."

"Good, I appreciate it." Hanji said as she got up and prepared to take her leave. "I have to go for now but I'll send someone to bring you some new clothes in a few minutes. The hospital has a garden and courtyard that I'm sure you'll like. Now that you're up and about, I can finally catch up on some of my other work. Feel free to enjoy yourself but please remember to be back by six, ok? I still have to make another report on your recovery progress to submit to Commander Smith."

"Yes, I promise. Good-bye for now, professor. And thank you."

"You may call me Zoe when we are alone. And your welcome, Eren. I'll see you later."

* * *

Some time later, after he had changed into a casual dress shirt and slacks, Eren stopped by the cafeteria for a little snack before heading out to the hospital gardens. The youth found it incredible how he didn't feel all that hungry even though he had not eaten in almost a week since he passed out after the trial. But he supposed that could be due to his titan powers; in addition to his incredible regenerative and healing abilities, Eren also required far less food to survive then normal humans. As he paced the gardens, his thoughts went back to the conversation he overheard between Professor Hanji and Mikasa.

_"Is Eren a titan?'_

_"No, he's actually quite different. He's definitely not a normal human being but I still wouldn't put him in the same league with those monsters either."_

Just what did the professor mean by that? If he was neither a human nor a titan, then what was he?

_"Was he born like this?"_

_"It is a possibility but I still don't know enough about him to be certain, at least not yet."_

That question disturbed him even more then the first. Was he truly born with his titan abilities or did he acquire them in some other way? Eren closed his eyes as he thought back to his childhood. He never really thought about it until now but for as long as he could remember, his body had always healed quickly whenever he got hurt. Any minor scrapes or cuts he got were always gone within hours. Even the heavier injuries he later sustained as a cadet were completely healed within a day or two. Eren also remembered that he always ate far less then other children, often to the point where it worried his mother who constantly had to remind him to eat out of fear he would not grow but she was wrong about that. At fifteen, Eren was still taller, stronger, and more resilient then most young men his age. And every time he had his routine check-ups, the doctor always found him to be in perfect health despite eating no more then two or even as little as one meal a day.

And then, there was also the last four days his body healed after taking a vicious beating that would have taken an ordinary person weeks if not months to recover from. Professor Hanji was right about one thing: Eren was afraid of himself, of his own existence. His shape-shifting and healing abilities were unnatural and because of them, there were people who wanted him either dead due to their fear of him or alive so that they can exploit his powers. Upon realizing this, the youth frowned. He had always wanted to become a member of the Survey Corps but not like this. And while he was more then happy to use his abilities to benefit humanity, he still had no desire to be used as a living weapon.

Unfortunately, that choice was no longer his to make.

"Eren?"

The youth looked behind him to find Mikasa also out of uniform and clad in a simple white dress with the scarf he had given her as a gift when they had first met. Despite cutting her long raven tresses, she still looked as lovely and feminine now as she did before they joined the military. Eren smiled upon seeing his foster sister; after everything he had been through, he found her presence very welcoming.

"Mikasa…how did you know I was here?"

"I came to your room but you weren't there so Professor Hanji was kind enough to tell me where to find you. How are you feeling, Eren?"

"I'm feeling much better now, thank you. My bones have mended and all I have are these light bruises you see here; I should be back to normal by tonight or tomorrow."

Mikasa shook her head as she approached her foster brother and gently placed her hand on the side of his face. "I wasn't talking about your body, Eren" she said softly with a hint of anger and sadness in her voice as she remembered how his handsome face came to be bruised.

"Mikasa, the professor explained everything to me earlier today. I understand Corporal Levi did what was necessary to save my life so I choose not to hold a grudge against him and you shouldn't either."

Mikasa frowned. "I wish I could be as forgiving as you, Eren" she said bitterly "Its easy to suffer yourself but to watch someone you love suffer is far more painful…"

The youth found himself blushing at his foster sister's confession. Of course, he had always known her affections for him was beyond that of sisterly love; he even heard her admit it to the professor. But to have her say it to his face was a completely different matter. And if he was anyone else, he would have been delighted to hear her say that but soon found himself growing pale after he got over his embarrassment.

"Mikasa…" he began sadly as he gently took her hand that was touching his face "You mustn't say such things. You know what I am now; I am a monster, an abomination, and you mustn't love a monster…"

The girl shook her head as she looked into the beautiful blue eyes of the boy she loved. "No, you're wrong, Eren. You are not a monster, that is the last thing you are. Even if the whole world was to fear you, hate you, wish for your death, I will never forsake you. And do you know why? Because I know who you really are inside your heart." It was true; even as Eren was being tried for his life, he thought only of her, of her safety and well-being, so much that he risked bringing the wrath of the entire court down upon his head by speaking out of turn in her defense when Mikasa herself was accused of being a titan by a fearful juror. No monster could ever be capable of such a selfless act.

Eren's eyes widened slightly as he took in Mikasa's words, unsure of what to say. He had just noticed that it was starting to rain very softly and the cool sprinkles of water felt very soothing to the healing bruises on his face. He also noticed how much lovelier Mikasa looked with the light droplets clinging to her raven hair and long eyelashes. And for the first time in years, he saw tears flowing freely from her beautiful blue-grey eyes, the eyes that could only see the goodness in his heart. It was in that moment that he finally realized how wrong it would be to turn her away. Taking her hand, Eren smiled and pressed a soft kiss on the inside of her wrist.

"Mikasa…you never cease to amaze me. How can you not be afraid of me when even I am afraid of myself?" he whispered.

"Eren, its because I know you would never deliberately try to hurt me. And also because… I love you, not as a sister loves her brother, but as a woman loves a man…"

The youth smiled. His whole life, he thought he would never be able to find anyone who truly understood him. How foolish it was of him not to see that the one person who did love him unconditionally had been by his side all along.

"Thank you, Mikasa… I love you too…with all my heart." And to prove it, Eren finally took her in his arms and kissed her, not the brotherly kiss he used to give her when they were children, but the fiery, passionate kiss of a young man in love. Mikasa gasped before returning her lover's embrace and kiss. Upon tasting her soft and sweet lips, Eren finally understood what she had meant earlier. It was far more painful to watch someone you love suffer then suffering yourself but he was not afraid; he loved Mikasa and would do anything, risk anything, withstand any amount of pain to keep her safe. As soldiers, they both knew that they would likely die in battle one day and that Eren had no qualms about it as long as he was with her. He no longer even minded being exploited and used as long as he could live with this noble and beautiful girl at his side…

* * *

As the couple stood in the rain, locked in a lover's embrace, a pair of eyes looked down upon them from a window of the highest floor of the hospital.

"You know, spying is bad manners, Corporal Levi…" a woman's voice said from behind him.

Levi snorted. "You should talk, Professor Hanji. Your orders were to keep Eren under lock and key until the commander was ready to see him."

Hanji smirked as she set down the cup of coffee she was drinking. "That means a lot coming from you, sir. After what you put him through, I think he deserves this much at least. The boy gave me his word he will not try to leave the hospital grounds and I believe I can trust him. Or are you going to tell Commander Smith I let him go, even just for a little bit?"

Levi glanced over his shoulder at the professor and sighed as he shook his head. "No…you're right. Let him enjoy himself for now; he has a very difficult road ahead of him and will need every break he can get."

Hanji smiled in triumph. "Good, I'm glad you see it my way. Eren is a good and honest young man and I have no doubt that he would be a great asset to us but keep in mind that for all his powers, he is still a human being and not just a weapon to use as we see fit; we'll be in trouble if we forget that."

"Your words cut deep, professor. I do not, nor did I ever have, seen the boy only as a living weapon and neither did I save his life for that reason alone." Levi's expression softened as he said this and Hanji thought she could see a bit of hurt in his eyes. Even though he knew the professor knew him well enough not to believe he would ever try to exploit Eren without any regard for his life, he could not help but be disappointed that she would say such a thing.

Hanji sighed. "My apologies, sir; that was uncalled for. I'm very grateful to you for saving Eren and I hope someday he will be too."

Levi turned his head to look down once more at the young couple. "So do I. But even if he never forgives me, I understand and I won't hold it against him." He said no more as he watched Eren and Mikasa stroll the hospital gardens hand in hand. The truth was, he envied the young man for Eren was just like Levi in his youth before dark times fell upon him and was also strong where he had been weak. Despite his painful past, Eren still chose not to kill his emotions and push those he cared for away from him the way Levi had. He also found it admirable how the young man was still able to maintain an air of dignity, even as he was being chained to a post like an animal and forced to kneel like a slave while being tried for his life; seeing Eren fight valiantly, even in human form, made Levi realize that the youth would one day surpass and replace him as humanity's greatest soldier and he had no qualms about it.

When the couple finally disappeared around a corner, Levi sighed. He had come here to see if he could speak with Eren and apologize for his actions before the youth was to see the commander but it looked like he missed his chance and would have to do it another time for he hadn't the heart to disturb Eren's moment with Mikasa, the girl who looked at him with murderous rage in her eyes as soon as she saw him raise a hand against her love. From the looks of it, he was going to have to apologize to two young people, not just one. But now was not the time and there were other things that required his attention at the moment. Turning to Hanji once more, he said "Professor, I must take my leave of you now. Please make sure Eren is well-cared for until the commander and I can speak to him tomorrow."

The professor nodded. "Yes, of course; he will definitely be ready by tomorrow. I will escort him to Commander Smith myself."

Levi nodded. "Good. Well, I'll see you then, professor; have a good evening…"

Hanji smiled as she gave a slight nod of her head. "You too, sir; good night."

After Levi finally left, Hanji took his spot in front of the window where he was watching Eren and Mikasa earlier. The pair were long gone and she was expecting Eren to return to his room shortly so she could check his condition once more for her report. The rain had passed and the professor found herself smiling at the thought of her new-found friendship with the youth who was to be the Survey Corps' newest member.

_Welcome to the club, Eren Jaeger… welcome to the club…_


	4. Regrets and Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan). This fic is written for your enjoyment only. It takes place after episode 22 but slightly before episode 23 as the retreating Survey Corps leaves titan territory to return to the walls after failing to capture the female titan and sustaining heavy casualties. This particular scene is set just before the party returns.

It was a beautiful, warm summer night as the stars shone brilliantly in the heavens with not a cloud to obstruct the view and the full moon blessing the land with her beautiful soft light. There had not been a night like this in over a year and under normal circumstances, many would find it enjoyable but to the retreating members of the Survey Corps, it was to be a night of mourning with no one able to enjoy its beauty. They had just left titan territory and was expected to arrive at the walls by tomorrow but no one was in any hurry to get back for they knew as soon as they did, they would face the displeasure of the citizens as well as the government for their failure.

Which was why Corporal Levi ordered his troops to set camp that night so they could hold an informal mass funeral service to mourn and honor the fallen soldiers whose bodies they were forced to abandon while being pursued by some stray titans for they may not get the chance once they returned if they were dismantled. And while it was a very difficult order to carry out, no one blamed Levi because they knew that as a commander, the corporal had to do whatever it took to ensure the survival of his remaining soldiers, especially Eren's. If they had tried to keep the bodies, it was very likely everyone would have perished and no one back home would ever know what became of them or why. In the end, Levi decided it was better that some of his troops returned then none at all. The way he saw it, the dead wasn't going to come back either way and hanging onto their bodies wasn't worth the risk of getting everyone killed.

After setting camp and lighting the fire, the able-bodied survivors focused on treating the wounded as well as preparing food and Mikasa took it upon herself to care for Eren who had to be transported by carriage due to his injuries making it impossible for him to ride a horse. Fortunately, the brief carriage ride gave Eren sufficient time to heal enough to move on his own so he did not need to be carried off once they settled but he was still weak and in no condition to fight so forcing himself to swallow his pride, the youth allowed his foster sister to tend to his needs as he sat on a blanket near the campfire. While Eren was still capable of at least feeding himself, Mikasa still insisted on spoon-feeding him, something she had not done since he fell sick when they were children, but not being in the mood to argue after his loss to the mysterious female titan, he allowed her to do as she wished since the other Survey Corps survivors were too busy grieving or tending their own injuries to even notice, let alone care.

"How are you feeling, Eren?" Mikasa asked after she had finished feeding him the last of the soup in the bowl she was holding. There was plenty of food to go around since their numbers have diminished, not that they would have minded going a little hungry from food shortage if their fallen comrades had returned alive, but there was no point in thinking about that now. Normally, Eren hated it when Mikasa treated him like a child who needed to be cared for but tonight he was actually grateful for her attention. Losing his comrades in Levi's special ops squad made the youth realize that he should show his appreciation for the people who were dear to him since he never knew if they would still be there tomorrow. And while he did have faith in Armin's and Mikasa's resourcefulness and ability to survive, his experience with the female titan and witnessing the deaths of the special ops squad members also made Eren realize that anything could happen in battle and even the most well thought-out plans could fail or backfire.

"Honestly, I feel awful. And I don't mean physically; you know I always recover quickly, especially when you are here with me." His eyes were red from crying but there were no more tears in them now, having shed all he physically could for the friends he had lost only hours before.

Mikasa frowned. "Are you talking about the others? Eren, please don't think like that. I know that you blame yourself for their deaths but even if you had transformed back then, there is still no guarantee you could have saved them and you might have gotten killed trying. You're lucky Corporal Levi was there for us since it was unlikely I could have rescued you without his help." As she said this, Mikasa realized the irony of her words for she never thought she'd see the day that she would actually express gratitude to Levi but she had to admit that they both owed the corporal their lives, Eren twice over. And while it was not like her to be so reckless in battle, Mikasa had made herself completely vulnerable to the female titan by charging forward to attack without considering possible repercussions for she was an opponent like no other and had Levi not been there, she might have gotten herself killed and the monster would have likely gotten away with Eren as her hostage.

Normally, Eren would have made a sharp retort to such a comment but held his tongue because he knew Mikasa was right; his defeat was the result of him being unable to control his rage at the loss of his friends and comrades and he was lucky that Mikasa and Levi were able to track him down in time before the female titan got away. Why the creature went through such great lengths to capture him alive, he had no idea nor did he care to find out.

"You may be right, Mikasa. But I guess we'll never know that for sure. But enough about me, how are you feeling? Have you been hurt? I know Armin sustained a head injury but he's fortunate its not fatal. And I also heard Corporal Levi broke his leg as well."

"I'm fine; I've only got a few minor cuts, scrapes, and bruises." Mikasa answered as she tried to avoid Eren's eyes and remembered that the only reason she hadn't gotten killed or seriously hurt was because Levi took the brunt of the female titan's attack for her so it was she who was actually at fault for the corporal's broken leg. But Eren didn't need to know that so Mikasa thought it best not to mention it. Plus she knew he wouldn't be thrilled if he found out she had been foolish enough to try and take on the titan that killed Levi's entire special ops squad on her own, even if it was for purpose of rescuing him. But then again, Mikasa had always been reckless when it came to Eren, even though she normally exercised more caution under other circumstances.

Eren looked at Mikasa curiously as he sensed there was something she wasn't telling him. He had known her since they were children and they had lived in the same house before joining the military together so he was able to read her as well as she read him. But whatever it was, he decided that it was probably better not to pursue it, at least for the moment when there were more important things to worry about and the two found themselves looking at each other in awkward silence with both nervous and not knowing what to say to the other. Fortunately (and ironically), it was Corporal Levi who rescued them yet again as he took notice of and approached the pair, leaning on his crutch as he tried his best to avoid putting weight on his broken leg.

"Good evening, you two. How are you faring?" Levi asked politely as he maintained the usual neutral expression on his face that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking or feeling. Not one person who knew the corporal ever recalled seeing him crack a smile and few could even imagine it. But Eren and Mikasa could still see the concern in his eyes for them both. Levi had never told anyone, neither his superiors nor subordinates, that in his youth he once had two adoptive younger siblings, a brother and a sister who would have been the same age as Eren and Mikasa had they not died in early youth because of his failure to protect them. For some reason, when he met the young pair before him, it made the corporal feel as though his siblings had returned to him and he also felt responsible for them as such even though he would never in any way let them know that.

"I am alright, sir" Mikasa answered "But it looks like Eren might need a little more time before he is completely recovered and fit for duty again."

"I see… I am glad. Mikasa, would you mind if I have a moment alone with Eren?"

The girl nodded, grateful that the corporal was giving her an excuse to leave her awkward situation with her foster brother. Getting up, she saluted her commanding officer. "Of course, sir. I will go check on Armin and the others" Mikasa answered before leaving him and Eren.

As soon as Mikasa was out of sight, Levi stepped a little closer and Eren prepared to stand up and salute him but the corporal gently placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Its alright, Eren, that won't be necessary. Be at ease and remain as you are for you will need to conserve your energy if you are to recover quickly."

The youth hesitated for a moment before giving in and maintained his sitting position on the blanket as he leaned his back against a rock while looking up at his superior who remained standing before him.

"Yes, sir, I understand. What is it you wish to speak to me about?"

"I would like to know how you are feeling, for starters."

Eren sighed. "I feel a lot better now, thank you. I was talking with Mikasa and she told me what happened after I was taken. I am grateful to you for helping her rescue me."

Levi's expression softened. "Its alright, Eren, you need not thank me for doing my duty. Commander Smith has ordered me to protect you and that is precisely what I have done and will continue to do until he tells me otherwise."

Eren looked at his superior curiously upon hearing those words. Like with Mikasa, he sensed that Levi was not telling the whole truth even though he did not know the corporal anywhere near as well as he knew his foster sister. Perhaps his time in the Survey Corps has made him better at reading people but he wasn't sure. Not knowing what else to say, Eren apologized.

"I understand, sir. And want you to know that I'm very sorry…about Petra and the others of your squad. They died because of me, of my incompetence, and I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive me someday."

Upon hearing Petra's name, Levi frowned and Eren regretted mentioning her as soon as he noticed. He had always known that Petra thought of Levi as more then a commanding officer but wasn't sure if Levi himself felt the same until he saw the neutral expression on the corporal's face collapse and became one of genuine sadness. Eren held his breath as he braced himself for his superior's displeasure but to his surprise, Levi did not get angry. Instead, he shook his head and said "No, Eren. You need not apologize. It was their duty to protect you, not the other way around. They all knew the risks when they chose to join the Survey Corps, as do you and I. We all have to die sometime, its only a matter of when, where, and how. And when it is our time, there is nothing we can do to avoid it."

Eren finally let out the breath he had been holding, relieved that Levi was not offended by his mentioning of Petra and the other fallen members of his squad. "I see…" He wasn't sure what else he could say and remained silent as he took in the corporal's words. Since this conversation was going nowhere, Levi decided to change the subject.

"Eren… if there is anyone you should be grateful to, its Mikasa, not me. I am sure she did not tell you this, but she disobeyed my direct order and went after the female titan on her own in order to rescue you. I myself was not sure if you were even alive but she never lost faith and I am grateful for her decision even if I did not agree with it at the time. I normally do not tolerate insubordination from my soldiers but in her case and yours, I will make an exception this time though I would strongly prefer it not happen again."

"I apologize for her actions, sir, but I'm afraid there's not really much I can do to control them if she won't even listen to you, her superior."

"On the contrary, Eren, I think you can. More than anyone. I notice almost everything she does seems to revolve around you. I have also been observing both of you very closely for some time now and realize that you and Mikasa are in fact, equally skilled in combat; it is only Mikasa's ability to better control her emotions in battle that gives her an advantage over you. She is only reckless where you are concerned so I've deduced that as long as you exercise more caution, she will too."

"What are you trying to say, sir?"

Levi sighed as he turned his back to Eren as if he did not want the youth to see the expression on his face. "In this world, there are many like me who have killed their emotions as a result of the tragedies in their lives and it is a weakness, not a strength. And because of my weakness, Petra died thinking I didn't love her. Don't make the same mistake, Eren. That is the best advice I can give you…"

Eren found himself speechless as he watch Levi walk away. He had never expected the corporal to be so open and honest about his personal feelings, especially to him of all people; Levi was also the last person he would ever expect to offer him comfort or love advice for that matter, and the way he spoke made Eren feel as though the corporal was speaking to him not as a subordinate, but as a friend or a younger brother.

"Eren? Is everything ok?"

The youth was snapped out of his thoughts as he saw his foster sister approach the campfire and take a seat beside him on the blanket.

"Yes, of course. I was speaking to the corporal and he left just before you came back."

"I see…what did you talk about?" Mikasa asked curiously.

Not wanting her to know the nature of his conversation with Levi, Eren simply said "Nothing much. He just told me he wanted me to be more careful next time since I might not be so lucky if I were to be captured by a titan again, especially that one."

"I see… I spoke with Armin and he told me that Corporal Levi plans to hold an informal mass funeral service for our fallen comrades before we retire for the evening. You don't have to participate if you don't want to; I'm sure I can come up with some excuse for you if the corporal asked."

Eren shook his head. "No, Mikasa, I have to pay my respects just as much as the rest of you. I was not able to save Petra and the others so this is the least I can do for them as well as the rest of the fallen. I will be fine so please don't worry about me."

Mikasa sighed. "Very well. The service will be in about an hour. If you plan to attend, please try to straighten out your uniform and look as presentable as you can."

"Of course, Mikasa. The same goes for you as well." His foster sister nodded and said nothing more as she stood up and left him to prepare.

Later that night, they attended the funeral service as planned. Eren and Mikasa stood side by side, holding hands as they and the rest of their surviving comrades listened in silence to Corporal Rivialle's speech and again he managed to surprise everyone with his moving words of respect and appreciation for their efforts as well as his tribute to the fallen. After the service was over and everyone retired to their tents, Eren found himself staying up a bit later then everyone else as he laid next to Mikasa who was already fast asleep. It was fortunate that their uniforms were comfortable enough to sleep in once the 3DMG was removed but it wasn't physical discomfort that kept him awake, it was Levi's words to him earlier that evening and Eren was afraid that he understood them all too well.

As he finally drifted off into sleep, the corporal's words played themselves in his mind once again.

_Because of my weakness, Petra died thinking I didn't love her. Don't make the same mistake, Eren. That is the best advice I can give you…_

_No, I will not make that mistake. Not ever again…Thank you, heichou, for reminding me…_


	5. What He Really Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan). I write this for your enjoyment only. This story takes place near the end of episode 25 of the anime and will be my personal take on Professor Hanji's revelation to Mikasa about how much she really knows about Eren and his titan-shifting abilities. It is a little AU but also possibly canon enough to have actually happened in the series. I also recommend reading the first fic in my saga 'More Than a Brother' to better understand this one. Enjoy! ;)

It had been five days since the chaos that shook the community of Wall Sina had died down after the clash of titan-shifters Eren Jaeger and Annie Leonhart that ended up destroying a huge chunk of the city as well as causing mass casualties, both civilian and military. Unlike the Survey Corps, the Military Police had virtually no experience fighting titans and found themselves completely overwhelmed and unprepared for a titan attack since no one ever expected one to happen from within Wall Sina. From the look of things, it was likely that the damage would take months, if not years to repair. And while Annie was defeated, nothing could be learned or gained from her since she encased her human body in a crystal-like substance. The only thing that could be done was to seal her beneath the city where she could be guarded and watched around the clock in case there were any changes in her condition. Whether or not the girl would ever awake again was anybody's guess.

Ironically, (and unfortunately), the people were far more fearful of the titan-shifter who actually saved what was left of their city and Eren Jaeger found himself confined once more when he returned to human form, this time, to a private room of the Military Police headquarters at Stohess District where only a select few were allowed to see him. Like before, Professor Hanji was assigned to monitor his condition and recovery progress as she was the one most knowledgeable about his powers and as such, felt just as responsible for Eren as Corporal Levi, not that the boy wasn't dear to her personally as well. After making her latest report to her superiors about Eren's condition, Hanji sent for Mikasa Ackerman just as she had after the youth's trial months ago. This time, however, it had to be in secret since Eren was not allowed personal visits after countless people witnessed the destruction he caused in his fight with Annie. And while it was not like Hanji to defy orders, there was something she wanted to tell Mikasa, something she felt the girl deserved to know, especially after what the young pair had went through.

When she heard a knock at the door, the professor quietly opened it. She need not ask who it was for she knew only one person would visit at this late hour when the rest of the Military Police had returned home for the day. That, and the fact that she secretly gave only one person the key she was assigned to the front door of MP headquarters before telling her what time to come. As soon as Mikasa walked in, Hanji quietly closed the door behind them. The girl was wrapped in a dark cloak to avoid rousing suspicion in case anyone spotted her but she was as careful as could be in making sure she was not watched or followed when she answered Hanji's summons and made her way to MP headquarters to see Eren. While the professor was her superior, Mikasa was glad that Hanji treated her as a trusted friend and was also grateful for everything the older woman had done for Eren and herself.

"Good evening, Mikasa. Were you able to find your way here without trouble?"

"Yes, of course, professor. It wasn't hard considering that MP headquarters stood out as one of the few buildings not destroyed by Eren and Annie."

Despite the fact that what Mikasa has pointed out was no laughing matter, Hanji could not help but smile. "I know. We're also fortunate that most people will be too busy grieving or recovering from the chaos to really pay attention to what you're doing though I still recommend you be cautious. I trust you were not watched or followed coming here?"

Mikasa nodded. "I'm pretty sure I wasn't. My senses are sharp and I likely would've noticed if I was. But enough about me, how is Eren?"

The professor looked towards the bed where the young man was laying fast asleep. This was to be the second time she and Mikasa found themselves in this situation, the first being after the trial that ended up handing Eren over to the Survey Corps just months prior. This time, however, the youth was truly asleep and unaware of their presence or what they were saying, having been completely exhausted from his battle with Annie.

"To be honest, he is going to take a little longer to recover this time. It was unfortunate that Corporal Levi had no choice but to sever his limbs to free him from his titan body since he was too weak to do it himself then, but the good news is that they are growing back. His arms have already formed and his legs are well on their way. I believe Eren will regain consciousness by tomorrow but until his legs come back, I'm afraid he won't be able to leave his bed."

Mikasa was silent as she took this in. "I see…" she said in quietly. In no way was she complaining. Even if it did take a long time, Mikasa was grateful Eren would be able to recover his limbs then not at all. And while his combat skills were not quite on par with Levi's, Eren Jaeger was still considered to be the ideal soldier since he could shape-shift, heal quickly, regenerate lost body parts, and required only a fraction of the food normal humans did to survive. It was also likely that Eren could survive evisceration as well although Mikasa had no desire to see that tested.

Upon noticing the frown on the girl's face, Hanji's expression softened. "Mikasa, you need not worry. Eren is stronger than you think. He will pull through, just as he had before. It will take a lot more than this to kill him so please trust me and believe what I say."

Mikasa found herself surprised at the professor's words since Hanji spoke as if she knew Eren better than Mikasa herself did, at least his powers and abilities.

"How…how could you know that? I thought you said you weren't even sure if Eren was born like this or have I misheard you?"

The professor sighed as she took a deep breath. Hanji knew this was coming so she was not surprised at Mikasa's suspicions. "No, Mikasa, you have not. That is another reason I have summoned you here. I regret to say that I have not been entirely truthful to you about my knowledge of Eren's abilities but after what you have both been through, I feel that you have the right to know so long as you do not tell anyone, including Eren himself, what I am about to reveal to you."

Mikasa looked at Hanji curiously as she took in the professor's words. While she hated keeping secrets from the boy she loved, she knew she had to give Hanji her word if she wanted to know the truth about Eren's powers, if only so she could help him better control them. After considering a moment, Mikasa said "Yes, Zoe, I promise."

Hanji smiled. "Good. I will try to make this as simple as I can so that you will understand. "You once asked me if Eren was born a titan-shifter. I assure you, he was not- it was the result of genetic engineering and experimentation…by Doctor Jaeger himself."

Mikasa stared at her superior in shock as if her mind refused to compute what she had just heard. "How could you know this? I know my foster father was well known in our community but have you even met him?"

"More than that, Mikasa. Not only did I know Doctor Jaeger, he was also my mentor and his wife was a friend of mine as well. Eren does not know this, but I was there the night he was born. I even assisted in his birth alongside his father. I was sixteen years old. That's why when I saw him at the trial, I knew right away who he was. And when I learned about his titan-shifting abilities, it wasn't too hard for me to put two and two together for Doctor Jaeger was among the most knowledgeable about the titans. Almost everything I know about them, I learned from him. He taught me so well that I was able to become chief science officer of the Survey Corps is less than two years after I enlisted."

"And how did _he_ know so much about the titans? Or how to create one for that matter?"

"That I truly do not know. He did tell me that before he married Eren's mother, he secretly traveled outside the walls via underground tunnels, something that has been strictly forbidden by the government since the walls were built over a century ago. When I was a child, I was told that all that was left of humanity are behind these walls but Doctor Jaegar seemed to think otherwise. He obviously didn't let the threat of danger and death stop him from exploring the outside world. My guess was that he might have met humans who knew the titans better than we do living outside the walls and learned from them even though he has never made it clear to me if that was the case."

Mikasa took another look at the comatose Eren before asking "How did he do it? And why?"

"Like I said, genetic engineering and experimentation. Likely from the time Eren was born until he was ten years old. It was something that had to be done slowly over a long period of time in order for his body to adapt."

"And I take it his mother knew nothing of this?"

"Likely not. I highly doubt Carla would have allowed it if she had known."

"And what about Eren himself? You said his father altered him over a period of ten years. If that is true, then how could Eren _not_ know about his own powers until he was swallowed by a titan during the Battle of Trost?"

"I believe that the experiments might have damaged and distorted his memories. That is the only plausible explanation I can think of."

"But how was Doctor Jaeger able to keep it a secret from Eren's mother and myself for so long?"

The professor raised an eyebrow. "That's a very good question, Mikasa. How do _you_ think he did it given that you yourself lived with the Jaegers for some time before Wall Maria fell?"

Mikasa was about to say she had no idea before the thought struck her and she remembered the times Doctor Jaeger would ask Eren to accompany him alone on educational 'field trips' that would last two to three days and how they would always return home with young Eren feeling exhausted, unfocused, and unable to remember exactly what happened or what he did. The excuse his father gave Carla and Mikasa was that Eren was simply tired from the all hunting, scouting, and studying they did and she did not think anything of it until now.

Hanji seemed to have come to that exact same conclusion as well before saying. "Now do you understand, Mikasa?"

"Ok, so now I'm pretty sure I know how. But why Eren of all people?" As she asked this, Mikasa could not help but feel appalled and outraged at how Doctor Jaeger, the man who raised them both, could subject his own son to such a barbaric experiment, knowing what he could become. The experiments were exactly that, experiments with uncertain results. For all he knew, the good doctor could have turned Eren into a full-blown titan without any way of bringing him back.

"Mikasa, you must be logical. Do you really think anyone would willingly allow their child to be made into a titan-shifter? Who else could he have used but his own son?"

"But why? _Why_ did he do it?!"

"I really wish I could answer that, Mikasa. But I'm afraid the only person who can is Doctor Jaeger himself. And he has not been seen since the fall of Wall Maria. Many believed he perished in the attack when the wall was breached but no one actually saw him killed and his body was never found and so his death remains unconfirmed. He may be alive somewhere but we've yet to find any evidence of that…"

"I understand… if he is alive and if I do see him again, I will demand to know how he could do this to Eren. I deserve to know and so does he!" It took all of Mikasa's effort to keep from shouting in her anger even though there was nobody else around and Eren was so comatose that he probably wouldn't be able to hear her anyway.

In response to Mikasa's outburst, the professor gently took her by the shoulders and looked into her blue- grey eyes in an attempt to calm her.

"Mikasa, I understand how you feel. But you must also look on the positive side as well. Was it not Eren's titan powers that saved his life and yours time and again? Given his reckless nature, he would have likely perished a long time ago without them. And need I say that you yourself might have perished as well had he not been there for you during the Battle of Trost?"

Mikasa fell silent as she calmed down and took in the professor's words. "You're right, Zoe. I'm sorry, I didn't think."

Hanji shook her head as she gently placed her hand upon her subordinate's shoulder. "It's all right, Mikasa, there is no need to apologize. It's only natural you would be upset since you care for Eren so much. He is very lucky to have a friend like you now that his family is gone."

"I feel luckier to have him…" Mikasa corrected. "One other thing I don't understand: If you knew Eren since he was born, how is it that he did not know you until after his trial?"

The professor smiled and gave a small laugh. "Well, the reason for that is because I joined the Survey Corps when Eren was only three, long before he was old enough to remember me. And my duties over the years kept me so busy, I was not able to pay my old friends, the Jaegers, any visits. But before I enlisted, I used to visit his parents and play with him often when he was little, you should have seen him then, he was very sweet and darling before dark times fell upon him."

"And you never told Eren you knew his parents?"

Hanji sighed. "It might have been difficult since he would have brought up other questions I was not ready to answer. The reason I asked you to keep this a secret from Eren is because I want to tell him the origins of his powers myself when he is ready to know. Right now, I feel it is still too soon and I still do not have all the answers to the questions I know he will ask. I don't know if I ever will but I want to be as ready as possible when the time is right. Do you understand, Mikasa?"

Mikasa nodded "Yes, I understand. You have my word, Zoe. And thank you for telling me the truth."

"You're welcome. I hope this knowledge will help you assist Eren better but you must also guard yourself as well. He may frustrate you at times but I can see that Eren does love you very much. He needs you and the world needs him; if something were to happen to you, I don't think Eren would have the will to keep fighting and humanity may very well be doomed."

Mikasa felt her face growing hot at the professor's words but knew Hanji was right. So much depended on Eren and not only did he needed to be physically protected at all costs, his morale and spirits also needed to be kept alive as well, a responsibility that is now solely hers since most of their friends and comrades were gone.

"Yes, I will take your words to heart. Thank you for everything you've done for Eren… and for me. It's getting late and I must be heading back before the others notice I am gone. I trust you will be ok watching Eren by yourself?"

"Of course. You have my word I will not leave his side until he is fully recovered, just like before. Just focus on taking care of yourself for now and leave Eren to me. We may have won this day but the war is still far from over. Both of you need to be strong for what lies ahead."

"I understand, Zoe. Have a good night and I will see you tomorrow."

"You too, Mikasa. Good night."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ok, this is the fourth drabble and it is a story mostly for Hanji and Mikasa. And while I know there is really no evidence in the anime that Hanji actually knows the Jaegers, I thought it would make for an interesting story that could be canon and I hope my readers enjoy it! I also thought it best for Eren not to be awake to hear what his father did to him, especially after having his limbs severed: p See you next chapter! ;)


	6. A Gift or a Test?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) and write this for your enjoyment only. This story takes place after episode 25 of the anime where the Survey Corps, Military Police, and citizens of Wall Sina are still recovering from the chaos and destruction caused by Eren and Annie. Like before, I recommend reading the previous fics in my saga to better understand this one. Enjoy!

"Eren? Are you awake? It's time to get up now…"

Eren groaned as he heard the familiar words from the exact same person who spoke them to him only months prior and opened his eyes to find Professor Zoe Hanji leaning over him. If his head wasn't throbbing so badly, he would have laughed at the irony of finding himself in the exact same position as when he was brought to the professor for treatment after being beaten by Levi at the trial that determined his fate months ago.

"Zoe? Is that you?" he managed to ask after the throbbing in his head subsided.

The professor laughed. "Of course, Eren. Who else would Commander Smith trust you with after you practically incapacitated yourself in your fight with Miss Leonhart?"

"I see…" Eren said slowly as he tried his best not to scowl in annoyance at the professor who seemed to have made a joke at his expense. He was sure the woman didn't mean it that way; Hanji was simply a very honest and straight-forward person who just needed to practice a bit of tact when dealing with others; she was a science officer, after all, not a doctor, even if she was the closest thing he had to one since no ordinary doctor could effectively treat him. Eren was sure that Hanji was the only person other than his father who could understand his unusual abilities and physiology. Contrary to what the professor thought, Eren did know that his father had something to do with him being a titan-shifter even if he could not clearly remember how it happened, the reason being his blurry memories of the experiments Doctor Jaegar performed on him when he willingly transformed into a titan for the second time to protect Mikasa and Armin from a firing squad.

Upon sensing the youth's embarrassment, the professor immediately apologized for her insensitive comment. "My apologies, Eren, I didn't mean it that way. The commander has entrusted you to my care because he feels that I am the one best qualified for the job. I'm sure you know by now that no ordinary doctor can treat you or be aware of any health conditions you may have other than myself since your physiology is no longer completely that of a normal human's."

Relieved that the professor wasn't as insensitive as he thought, Eren sighed. "It's ok, Zoe. I understand. The last thing I remembered was hearing Mikasa trying to tell me something before everything went dark. What happened after that?"

Hanji raised an eyebrow and pushed her glasses up her nose before answering "Well, I'm sorry to say it, but you had to be moved to the MP Headquarters infirmary because you were bleeding quite badly since the corporal had no choice but to sever your limbs to free you from your titan's body and it was quite obvious you were too tired and weak to do it yourself after your fight with Miss Leonhart; you likely passed out from pain and exhaustion, just as you did after your trial."

"WHAT?!" Eren cried as he looked down at himself to confirm what the professor had just told him. His arms and hands were perfectly formed but when he pulled his blanket away from his body, the youth found to his horror that his legs below his knees were actually missing. Why he didn't feel it enough to notice before was beyond him.

Hanji quickly grabbed Eren by the shoulders and shook the boy in an attempt to keep him from panicking. "Whoa, calm down, Eren, I promise you will be fine! Your legs are still regenerating themselves and will be back by most likely tonight. You've nothing to worry about; this isn't the first time you've lost limbs that came back, don't you remember?"

Eren let out a sigh of relief as he realized that the professor was right. In his panicked state, he had briefly forgotten that he was a titan-shifter and could regenerate practically any body part he lost whether it was a tooth or a limb. He could also probably grow another head if he ever happened to lose the one currently on his shoulders although he'd rather not see that tested if possible. "You're right, Zoe, I'm sorry. I just forgot and panicked, that's all. Thanks for reminding me…"

Hanji smiled as she let go of Eren and took a seat near his bed. "It's ok, you've no need to apologize; I would probably panic too if I was in your place. You may not realize this, but you are in much better shape now than when you were brought in. Corporal Levi carried you here himself even though you were practically bleeding all over him since you were unconscious and incapacitated from having your limbs severed. He told me he greatly regretted having to do it but could think of no other way to free you and he couldn't very well leave you as you were."

Eren nodded. "I understand, Zoe. I know how unpleasant it must have been for him since he cannot stand blood and filth so I'll make sure I apologize and thank him the first chance I get."

The professor let out a soft laugh. "That's what I like about you, Eren! You're always more concerned for others even when you're the one hurt most. I'm sure the corporal would appreciate your gratitude but you need not apologize for bleeding all over him since he was more concerned for your well-being then the cleanliness of his clothes when he brought you to me. But enough about that, you must look alive because you'll be having visitors soon!"

Eren was about to ask what Hanji meant when there was a knock on the door as if on que. When the professor opened it, the youth was surprised as well as delighted to see his dear friends Mikasa, Armin, and Jean who brought him food, flowers, and gifts just like they would for any sick friend confined to his bed even though this wasn't exactly a public hospital where visitors can casually see him as they pleased since he was still supposedly a prisoner. But fortunately for him, Hanji and Levi managed to convince the higher-ups to allow Eren the company of his closest friends so long as it was under their direct supervision. But the professor trusted them not to do anything rash so she had no problem giving her charge time alone with his friends.

After the trio made their way into the room, Hanji turned to Eren and said "Well, I guess I should be going since I'm pretty sure you must be bored of being around me by now. I've got some work to take care of so have fun, you all. Catch you later!"

"Yes, thank you for everything, Zoe, you're the greatest!" Eren called after her. The professor said nothing but winked at him before leaving and closing the door behind her. Eren could not keep the look of joy and gratitude from showing on his face as he realized the favor his superiors have done him despite the damage he and Annie had caused to the city from within Wall Sina. Making a mental note to himself to thank Hanji and Levi later, the young man finally greeted the friends he had not seen since his battle with Annie.

"Mikasa, Armin, Jean, thank you all for coming!"

Upon hearing the liveliness in her foster brother's voice once more, the raven-haired girl smiled and took the seat that was previously occupied by the professor as she greeted Eren.

"You're welcome, Eren. How are you feeling now?"

"Much better even though I don't remember everything that happened after I passed out. Would you guys mind filling me in on the details?"

Mikasa looked over her shoulder at Armin and Jean who seemed to hesitate before Armin finally spoke. Since he was supposedly the strategist of the group, it was probably best to let him explain everything to their bed-ridden friend and he knew it so the blond boy ran a hand through his short hair and took a deep breath before beginning.

"Well…"

* * *

A little later that evening after his visitors left, Eren was sitting up in his bed thinking about what they told him. It wasn't hard for Armin to figure out that he chose not to kill Annie out of pity upon seeing her cry, even knowing that she had killed many of their friends and comrades as well as taking him hostage during their last expedition beyond the walls. Not that he regretted sparing her life for he had many questions that Annie may be the only one who could answer such as her reasons for doing what she had done as well as why she tried so hard to capture him alive. Plus Eren was sure his superiors would want to know if Annie knew of other titan-shifters like themselves living from within the walls and plotting against humanity. That takes first priority over all else so it was likely that Annie would also need protection from those who would want to kill her for revenge over their lost loved ones and there was no shortage of such people. But at the moment, neither killing or getting information out of Annie was possible as long as she is sealed away; the only choice was to wait for her to awaken, if ever.

Eren sighed as he looked down at his now fully-formed legs that returned as Hanji had promised. He had been looking forward to this since he found out they were missing when he woke up earlier but now that he had them back, there still wasn't much he could do since he practically had nowhere to go. After all, Eren still hadn't forgotten that he was a prisoner once again after performing yet another great service for humanity by siding with them against the titans for the second time; the irony was simply too much and if it wasn't so pitiful, he'd laugh.

Not knowing what else to do, Eren prepared to lie down and go back to sleep even though he knew it was unlikely that he will be able to since he had already slept for almost a week when he suddenly heard a knock at the door. The youth was startled because he knew that it was already past curfew for Mikasa and the others and Professor Hanji had likely retired for the evening as well so who could be wanting to see him now? Curious, Eren got up and answered the door and was surprised when he saw none other than Corporal Levi, who was out of uniform and clad in more casual clothing and holding a small box in his hand. Was the corporal actually here to pay him a visit and offer him a get-well gift like all the others? Eren certainly wasn't expecting anything like that from Levi of all people but then again, he also didn't expect the corporal to offer him comfort or love advice the night before they and the rest of his troops returned to the walls after failing to complete the mission they had set out to accomplish and leaving titan territory with heavy casualties.

"Good evening, Eren" Levi greeted politely "May I come in?"

After recovering from his surprise, Eren nodded. "Yes, of course, sir" he answered before stepping aside and allowing his superior to enter. As soon as Levi was inside, Eren quietly shut the door behind them.

"Good evening, heichou, and thank you for allowing me the honor of a visit. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Levi shook his head. "Actually" he began "I wanted to see if there was anything I can do for _you_." Before Eren can ask what he meant, the corporal offered him the small box he was holding in his hand. When the boy took it and looked at him curiously, Levi simply said "A gift from the commander; he wanted you to have it as small reward for a job well done. While the citizens may not as be as appreciative, we of the Survey Corps are grateful for what you've done, Eren. Go on, open it."

"Yes, sir, I'd be honored" Eren answered as he opened the small box. When he saw what was inside, his eyebrows rose in interest as well as curiosity. It was a straight razor, like the one he often saw his father use to shave his beard when he was a child. And while it appeared to be an expensive and high-quality blade, Eren was confused as to why the commander would offer him such a gift since he had not yet reached the age where he would be needing it. Granted, he did have a few hairs along his jawline but they were so fine and barely noticeable, certainly not worth the trouble of shaving.

Upon observing Eren's confused reaction, Levi asked "Well? What do you think?"

"Well, honestly, I don't know what to think, sir. And it's not that I don't appreciate it but I'm curious as to why you would give me something like this since I'm sure it'll be a few more years before I even have any use for it."

"You may be right, Eren. But it wouldn't hurt to get a head start now, would it? Since your father is not here, I can show you how to use it if you'll let me. It may also be a good idea to learn now since there's no guarantee you'll be able to find anyone who can spare the time to teach you when you finally do need to know. So what do you say, Eren?"

The youth hesitated for a bit before consenting. The corporal did take the time and trouble to pay him a visit as well as bringing him a gift and so he didn't want to offend him by refusing. Not to mention the times Levi saved him from certain death and capture so Eren supposed that this is the least he could do for his commanding officer.

"All right, sir, please show me then."

Eren wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but he thought he saw the corporal's lip twist slightly in a ghost of a smirk before saying "Good. Now let's get over to the mirror and bathroom sink; we'll need to wet your face with a bit of warm water and lather it with some cream first."

The youth obeyed as he turned and headed straight to the bathroom with his superior following close behind. After placing the box with the razor on the bathroom counter, Eren wetted his face with a towel dampened with warm water as Levi had instructed and after he finished, reached for the can of shaving cream that was in the mirror cabinet above the sink. While the Military Police clearly distrusted him, Eren was grateful that they were still courteous enough to offer him a comfortable room and bathroom with everything he would need to maintain his appearance. After taking the can, the youth was about to spray some cream into his hand when Levi stopped him.

"Please, allow me…" he said simply.

After another moment's hesitation, Eren gave in and handed the can of shaving cream over to his superior and watched as Levi sprayed the cream into his hands and lightly rub them together before gently patting the rich foam all over his face. Eren couldn't help but realize the irony of how the same hands that nearly killed him a few months ago was being incredibly gentle with him now. The youth had never shaved a day in his life but knew he would eventually have to if he didn't want to sport a beard but never thought he would be learning to do it so soon. But Eren supposed he should be grateful that the corporal was taking the time to show him a skill that he would certainly need when he got older in place of his missing father.

After the lower half of his face was covered, Eren heard Levi say "Now pay attention to what I do. You may not be able to see much but you'll still be able to feel and imagine what I'm doing so that you'll be able to do it for yourself from now on."

"Of course, sir, go ahead." Eren answered quickly as he tried to avoid swallowing the cream that was near the corner of his lips.

Upon receiving his subordinate's consent to continue, Levi took the razor from the box, turned on the sink slightly, and rinsed the blade beneath the warm water before bringing it to Eren's face. It was fortunate that he and the corporal was almost the same height so that Levi would not have too much difficulty positioning the blade at the correct angles to use it effectively. The youth tried his best to relax as his commanding officer started to skillfully shear off the fine hairs on his cheeks and along his jawline. From the way he did it, Eren figured that Levi must have had a lot of experience since he always preferred to be clean-shaven himself. In addition to his strong dislike for untidiness, the corporal also abhorred facial and body hair, finding them highly unattractive as well as unclean. And in addition to making him keep his surroundings clean, Levi also made sure Eren minded his appearance when going out in public even if Eren himself did not always care if he looked less than perfect.

After a few moments of awkward silence, the corporal spoke. "Eren… do you remember what I told you the night before we returned to the walls?"

After asking, Levi made sure to take the blade away from Eren's face so that he could safely open his mouth to answer. "Yes, sir, I may not look like it but I do have a very good memory."

"I see…good…" The corporal continued as he rinsed the cream off the blade before bringing it to Eren's face again. Every time he spoke, Levi took care not to say anything that would startle the boy and get him nicked or cut by the blade. There was someone he wanted Eren to see tonight and it simply would not do if the boy was to show up at her door with an unbecoming facial injury. "I remember telling you that we never know how a battle will turn out or what the future will hold so I feel that I should tell you this now in case I may not get a chance to later…"

Levi took the blade away from Eren's face and paused again to wait for the boy's answer.

"Yes, sir, I'm listening..."

Bringing the blade back, Levi went on. "I realize that I may have been hard on you at times..." he began gently "But it was never out of anger or regret that I saved your life; I am your commanding officer. It is my duty to protect and keep you sharp so that you will survive and help us win the war against the titans. Do you understand, Eren?"

"Yes, sir, I do. And I do appreciate it. But would you mind if I asked you a question?"

"Go ahead…"

"This razor… it isn't really a gift from Commander Smith, is it?"

"Very good, Eren. You've become more astute. And you're right; it's not a gift from the commander, but from me."

"A gift, sir? Or a test?"

"And what makes you think that, Eren?"

"Well, sir, I thought a razor like this would be an unusual gift to give someone like me. I'm sure you know I don't really it need at this point in my life. I also know that most men would not allow another to shave them unless they really trust that person because the shaver is holding a sharp blade to their face and throat and one wrong move could result in painful injury, intentional or not. So in summary, I believe you wanted to test my faith in you, not just with the razor, but on the battlefield as well."

Upon hearing his subordinate's revelation, the corporal actually looked pleased. "Excellent, Eren! It looks like I have succeeded in making and keeping you sharp, no pun intended. And yes, it does mean a lot to me knowing that you trust my abilities and intention to protect and guide you. So the answer to your question is that the razor is both a gift and a test."

"But why test me in such a way, sir? If you wanted to know if I really trusted you, you could have simply asked me."

"I could" Levi agreed "But it would not have been as interesting plus I wanted to prepare you for tonight."

"I don't understand, sir. I thought I'm not allowed to leave MP Headquarters until the higher-ups decide what to do with me."

"Technically, you are not. But the professor and I feel that you should straighten things out with Mikasa if the two of you are going to be working together more effectively in the future."

Eren had to put a lot of effort into keeping a grin from forming on his face. "Is that an order, sir?" he asked sheepishly.

Levi snorted "It can be if I make it. Would you like me to?"

The youth shook his head, apparently getting the message. "No need, sir. I understand perfectly."

"Good. I take it you have some decent clothes to wear?"

"I do, courtesy of the professor."

"Good" Levi said as he used the damp towel to wipe the residue cream from Eren's face before gently putting some aftershave cream on him "Then my work here is finished. I don't care what you do or how late you stay out as long as you carry out your objective. Just try to be back before the MPs notice your absence, all right?"

"Yes, sir. Have a good night. And thank you…"

"My pleasure, Eren. Good night and good luck; I believe you'll be needing it, my friend…"

Eren didn't know what Levi meant by that last sentence but decided not to pursue it and after his superior took his leave, the youth quickly got dressed in a casual dress shirt and slacks along with the new shoes Hanji had provided for him. Before finally leaving his room, Eren took one last look at himself in the mirror and ran a hand down his hairless jawline, noticing how soft and smooth his skin felt, the aftershave cream giving it a pleasant cologne-like smell. If Mikasa finds it as pleasing as he did, then it looks like the corporal had done him yet another favor after all.

_Smiling, Eren thought Thank you, Heichou…for everything…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So here is my fifth story; what do you think of it? I intended it to be a simple, but clever test of trust and loyalty between two men who are more than a commander and his subordinate. I always saw the relationship between Eren and Levi as that of brothers since Levi seems to watch out for Eren as such. Since he is such a complex character, I hope my readers find my take on him to be IC and convincing enough. I also chose not to include the scene with Eren, Mikasa, Armin, and Jean talking about Annie since that is pretty much already explained in the anime. I also made Levi taller then he actually is so that he could shave Eren effectively while standing I plan on writing yet another continuation for my 'Devotion' saga but my next one might have some smut ;)


	7. The Risk You Take

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan). I write this for your enjoyment only (and mine too) I hope you like it! I may use quotes and flashback scenes from my previous fics so I recommend reading the first five installments to better understand this one. On another note, even though there is a love scene between two young teens, in this case being Eren and Mikasa, please keep in mind that this is only a work of fiction; I really do not recommend or condone sexual activity by anyone under the age of 18. Anyway, on with the show and please review! ;)

There was a tomb-like silence at Military Police Headquarters as Eren quickly made his way down the empty hallways to the main entrance which also happened to be the only exit he could find out of what he hoped would only be his temporary prison. Before he left his room, the youth noticed that Corporal Rivialle left the key to the entrance in the same box as the straight razor he brought him as a gift earlier that evening. As the ones responsible for Eren for the duration of his confinement, the corporal and professor were allowed possession of the keys to MP Headquarters so long as they used them only to keep him in check but for tonight, both of his superiors were willing to look the other way while he secretly left to see his foster sister whom he got to spend only a brief time with earlier that day. Since he was confined for the second time after his battle with Annie, Eren barely got to spend any time alone with Mikasa and was determined not to let the chance his superiors gave him go to waste.

When he was finally outside, the youth turned around to lock the front door and make sure he wasn't being watched or followed before making his way down the street to the inn where Mikasa told him she would be staying with the others until his fate was determined by Hanji and Levi's superiors. As he looked around, Eren saw for the first time, the damage that he and Annie had done to the city less than a week ago and shuddered; he had not really noticed it before because he was so focused on stopping the blonde titan-shifter before she completely destroyed the city. It was fortunate that the majority of the destruction appeared limited to the Stohess district of Wall Sina but still looked like it would take months, if not years, to restore to its former condition. For now, the citizens, along with the help of the Military Police and Survey Corps, had barely managed to make the area somewhat livable again for the survivors. Aside from MP Headquarters, there were few other buildings that escaped Annie's rampage unscathed. Eren himself remembered trying to avoid damaging his surroundings in his clash with her as best as he could but it was virtually impossible for him not to contribute to the destruction and he knew he was just as responsible as Annie was, regardless of his intentions.

Trying not to think of his damaged surroundings too much, Eren quickly went to the front door of the inn, opened it, and went inside. As soon as she heard the door open, the front desk clerk looked up from the book she was reading. It was fortunate that the ordinary citizens of Wall Sina did not know how titan-shifter Eren Jaeger looked in his human form; otherwise, he would have caused quite a ruckus appearing in public. Upon seeing Eren, the young woman simply smiled and said "Good evening, sir. What can I do for you?"

Making a gentlemanly bow before the clerk, Eren answered "I am here to see a friend of mine. Her name is Mikasa Ackerman; can you tell me which room she is in?"

"Ackerman? Ah, yes, that Asian girl from the Survey Corps! She is in room 202 on the second floor. Shall I call and let her know you are here?"

Under other circumstances, Eren would have said yes but knew that asking the front desk clerk to call for Mikasa would require giving out his name to her and he thought it was best not to reveal his identity even if the citizens of Wall Sina did not know or recognize him as the titan-shifter that practically leveled their city.

"It's ok, Miss, please don't trouble yourself. I prefer to tell her myself if that's all right with you."

"Of course, sir. Like I said: room 202, second floor."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome; have a good evening, sir."

"You too, Miss."

* * *

Mikasa was started when she heard a soft knock at her door. It was about eight o' clock and she was sure that Armin and Jean must have retired for the evening by now so she wondered who could be coming to visit her at this hour. The only people she could think of who might were Professor Hanji or Corporal Rivialle but they wouldn't see her at this hour unless something bad happened, more specifically, to Eren. Worried that it was indeed Hanji or Levi bearing bad news, Mikasa quickly got up and opened the door and found her eyes widening in surprise when she saw not the professor or corporal, but the object of her worry and concern standing right before her out of uniform and dressed more casually in a white dress shirt and brown slacks.

"Eren? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back at MP Headquarters resting?"

Eren shook his head "I've been asleep for almost a week straight, Mikasa. Don't you think that's enough rest for now?"

Realizing the silliness of her question, Mikasa gave a small chuckle. "Yes, of course, how silly of me. Please come in" she said as she stepped aside and allowed her foster brother to enter her room. As soon as Eren was inside, Mikasa asked "How did you know I was here? And more importantly, how were you able to leave MP Headquarters since you're still virtually a prisoner there? I thought you weren't even allowed to leave the building, let alone come all the way here to see me."

"Technically, I'm not. The professor and corporal are actually doing me a favor by looking the other way while I came here to see you."

Mikasa could not help but smile when she realized the favor their superiors were doing them by risking their jobs to allow her and Eren to see one another like this. She already thought of Hanji as a friend and older sister and even warmed up to Levi a bit after he saved Eren's life not once, but at least twice.

"I see…" she began "But is it safe? If the MPs discover that you're not in your room, who knows what trouble you might find yourself in…"

Eren smiled and took her hand in his own before raising them to his lips. "It's all right; they've all returned home for the evening and won't be back until Monday since they don't work weekends; the professor and corporal are willing to cover for us so long as we don't make ourselves too conspicuous. I, for one, would like to go out for some fresh air since I've been confined to my room for so long; would you care to join me?"

Mikasa raised an eyebrow, curious as to why her foster brother was being unusually cheerful after everything that happened but she supposed he was happy just being given the chance to leave his confinement to see her and have some time outside even if he was allowed to do so only in secret. As Eren stepped closer into the light, Mikasa noticed that there was something different about him and it wasn't just the pleasant scent of what she thought was his cologne; his skin looked more radiant then she remembered and as if trying to sate her curiosity, Mikasa raised a hand to Eren's face, gently brushing his cheek with the back of her fingers, and was pleasantly surprised to find it as soft and smooth as a baby's bottom. Did he just do what she thought he did before coming here?

"Mikasa, do you find something amusing about my appearance?"

The girl was snapped out of her thoughts by the sudden question to find Eren looking at her curiously. In her startling discovery, she had failed to notice that she was actually smiling.

"Oh, I was just admiring your skin… and your scent. What did you do? And what is that cologne you're wearing?"

"Well, it wasn't what I did but what the corporal did for me before telling me to see you; I totally wasn't expecting it. And I'm not actually wearing cologne but some that happens to smell like it…" he answered shyly.

Eren didn't give specifics but it wasn't too hard for Mikasa to guess what Levi had done for him but decided to tease her foster brother a little, if only for her own amusement.

"I see… so you didn't get all pretty just for me?"

Eren blushed. "N-no, I didn't mean it like that!"

Mikasa gave a soft laugh, Eren may not be a little boy anymore, but he was just as sensitive now as he was when they were children.

"Of course" she answered "I was just teasing. Anyway, give me a minute to change first and we can get out of here, ok?"

"Yes, go ahead and take your time. I'll be right here."

* * *

After Mikasa had changed into a casual white dress, black-heeled shoes, and made sure her maroon scarf was wrapped securely around her neck, she allowed Eren to lead her out of the inn and into the Stohess District, or at least what was left of it. Being third-class citizens, both Eren and Mikasa had lived most of their lives in the Shiganshina District at Wall Maria and briefly at Wall Rose when their home fell before joining the military. Wall Sina was where the wealthiest, first-class citizens lived and they never thought they would ever see it, let alone walk the streets of the once-opulent city. How ironic it was that it hardly looks any better than Wall Maria now, especially after the destruction caused by Eren and Annie. The only difference was that it was still safe enough for humans to inhabit without the threat of a titan invasion, at least for the moment. And while the Military Police and Survey Corps clearly distrusted each other, they were forced to work together to protect the citizens from the possible danger of another titan attack as well as helping them rebuild their city and their lives.

But for now, the young couple chose not to worry about that and instead focus on enjoying their time together, even if there weren't many nice places left intact that they could go. But they were grateful that there were enough street lights set back up so they see their way around. As Eren and Mikasa walked up a bridge overlooking a small made-made lake, arm in arm, Mikasa decided to break the silence.

"This is just like old times, remember? When we were kids, we used to enjoy taking walks like this until the sun came down and your mother would call us back home for dinner. It's only been a few years but after everything that's happened, I feel like it was a lifetime ago."

"I feel that way too" Eren began softly. "Of course, this is the first time I've taken a stroll with you at night since my parents would never let us out alone after dark. It is like old times but at the same time, it feels different being out so late like this. We've been outside many times at night since we became soldiers but we were always so busy with our duties to really enjoy the moon and the stars, see?"

As he asked Mikasa this, Eren pointed up at the sky and Mikasa followed suit. The full moon was shining brightly and the stars glittered in the heavens with not a cloud in sight to obstruct their view. Nights like this were quite rare, the last time they saw one was the night they made camp before returning to the walls after the disastrous 57th expedition. It was on that night as he was being cared for by Mikasa that Eren realized something very important: to show appreciation for those who were dear to him for he never knew if they would still be there tomorrow. And he learned it the hard way, the first time when he lost his mother and again when he lost his comrades in Levi's special ops squad. Even though the corporal did not fault him for their loss and assured Eren that it was their duty to protect him, not the other way around, the youth still bore the deaths of Petra and the others on his conscience. It was also on that night that Levi admitted regret at never telling his first lieutenant how he truly felt about her until it was too late and implored Eren not to make the same mistake with Mikasa that he did with Petra.

"It's beautiful…" Mikasa exclaimed "Thank you for bringing me out here. I thought we would never find a moment's peace again. Especially now that people know who and what you are, they're never going to leave you alone, Eren…"

Upon hearing this, Eren frowned. This was another reason why he needed to see Mikasa alone and away from the earshot of the others and was grateful that their superiors gave him the chance to do so tonight for he may not get another one later.

"That's also what I wanted to talk to you about, Mikasa…"

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

Eren gently took Mikasa's hand in his own and raised them to his cheek, causing her to blush at the softness of his skin.

"I know this may sound selfish of me to ask…but I want you to leave the military and live a normal life. Please don't involve yourself with the Survey Corps any further…or me…"

The girl stared at her foster brother, shocked that he would even suggest such a thing. "W-what do you mean? How can you ask me to do such a thing after what we've been through together all these years?"

"That's exactly why!" Eren answered fiercely "Don't you see, every minute you stay with me and the Survey Corps, you are in danger, and I don't mean just from the titans! Do you remember how that man accused you at the trial? If you continue to associate yourself with me, your reputation will be tarnished and you will be feared and shunned just as I am! Do you want to die or live out the rest of your life as an outcast? I no longer have a choice, but you still do!"

Mikasa shook her head as she took her hand away and looked him straight in the eyes. "Eren, do you think I would even be standing here having this conversation with you right now if I cared about that? I would have left you long ago and so would Armin and the others! We all joined the Survey Corps of our own free will knowing the risks, just as you did! I've been in and fought my way out of danger many times and you know it so why would you ask me to leave now of all times?"

"Mikasa…it's because…because…" Eren hesitated to answer but Mikasa already knew what he was thinking. It wasn't because he was starting to lost faith in her or her abilities, but because he didn't want her to share Petra's fate; Levi's special ops squad was considered to be the best of the best and yet they still fell easily to Annie in her titan form who killed them all before they even had a chance to scream. They both knew Mikasa was able to assist in Annie's defeat because she had already been greatly weakened by Eren before she attempted to escape the walls. If they came up against other titan-shifters as cunning as her in the future, Mikasa could very well be killed just as Levi's squad were and even the corporal himself might not be able to save her in time.

Taking Eren's hands in her own, Mikasa gently brought them to her lips and kissed them. "It's all right, Eren. You don't have to say it; I already know what you're thinking, I knew it from the moment you suggest I left the military…and you. But I must refuse. We all have to die sometime; it's only a matter of when, where, and how. And when it is our time, there is nothing we can do to avoid it and I'm sure you must know this as well. I could easily die living inside the walls as an ordinary civilian as I could a soldier fighting the titans outside. You've seen this before many times, don't you remember? Was your mother in the military? Or the people of Wall Maria and Sina who perished in the titan attacks? If I'm going to die either way, I'd rather die fighting, wouldn't you?"

Eren stared at Mikasa as he heard her practically echo the words Levi spoke to him about dying when it was their time. Either she overheard the conversation between him and the corporal that night or she somehow developed the ability to read minds. "Then there's nothing I can say that will convince you, is there, Mikasa? You're willing to take that risk? And suffer the consequences of associating with me?"

The girl smiled. "It wouldn't be the first time…"

Eren managed a sad smile and acknowledged defeat. "Very well… I understand. It's getting late, Mikasa, you should head back to your room and I should be getting back to MP headquarters."

Mikasa frowned. "You're going back there? I thought you said the MPs won't be back until Monday since they don't work weekends."

"They don't. But I'm sure Professor Hanji will be needing to make another progress report on my recovery to submit to Commander Smith early tomorrow."

"True…but doesn't it get a bit lonely being there all by yourself? You can stay with me and go back tomorrow morning before the professor arrives."

"Well I don't know…"

Mikasa sighed at her foster brother's reluctance. If he truly preferred to spend the night alone in his prison then she was obligated to respect his wishes. "I understand. I will be heading back now. If you change your mind, you know where to find me."

And with that, Mikasa turned and headed back to the inn, leaving Eren to stand alone on the bridge looking after her. After his foster sister was out of sight, the youth prepared to go the opposite direction back to MP headquarters but for some reason, he hesitated as if he wasn't sure that was the right thing to do. He was sorry that Mikasa didn't take his suggestion to leave the Survey Corps and live a normal life very well, but couldn't say that he was surprised. For as long as he could remember, his foster sister had always be stubborn and unyielding when she had her mind set on something, especially if that something, or someone was himself. As he took one last look in the direction he had intended to take earlier, Levi's words came back to him.

_In this world, there are many like me who have killed their emotions as a result of the tragedies in their lives and it is a weakness, not a strength. And because of my weakness, Petra died thinking I didn't love her. Don't make the same mistake, Eren. That is the best advice I can give you…_

Once he realized the true meaning of the corporal's words, Eren finally knew the path he must take. Turning around, the youth ran back to the inn where he knew Mikasa would be waiting for him…

* * *

After changing out of her dress and back into her nightgown, Mikasa sat down on the small antique sofa in front of the fireplace of her suite, one of the best in the house and courtesy of the good Commander Erwin Smith for a job well done in keeping Annie from escaping Wall Sina and causing further destruction. There was a beautiful, exquisitely-carved wooden table between the sofa and fireplace and a feather king-sized bed in the back that she had yet to sleep in tonight. As a soldier, Mikasa was used to sleeping on the stiff mattresses of the female barracks she once shared with Annie, Sasha, Christa and the other girls of her squad as well as the cold-hard ground whenever they went on missions. This was the first time in years she had a nice and comfortable room all to herself but for some reason, could not bring herself to enjoy it. Everything was perfect except for one thing: Eren was not with her. No matter how nice her suite was, Mikasa could never enjoy it knowing that Eren was staying in a small, cramped room of the Military Police Headquarters as a prisoner, even if it was by his own choice.

Mikasa sighed. Eren often accused her of being stubborn and unreasonable at times but the truth was, he was really no different and they both knew it. But she supposed there was no point in thinking about that now. It was a little past nine and Mikasa knew she should probably be heading to bed soon since Corporal Rivialle would likely be wanting her and the others to be up early tomorrow to continue their work alongside the Military Police of helping the citizens rebuild the city until the government can send in more workers to relieve them of the burden that was not even their job in the first place but were obligated to take temporarily because one of the Survey Corps (Eren) and the Military Police (Annie) were responsible for the damage. The last few days have been tough but no one complained because they thought it was far better then fighting off the titans, at least for the time being.

As Mikasa turned off the lights and prepared to put out the fire, she heard a knock at her door. Without thinking, she quickly went over to the door and opened to find none other then Eren standing on the other side; she knew it could have been no one else.

"Eren!" She cried softly, trying to contain her joy and keep her voice down as to not wake the others "What are you doing here? I thought you went back to MP Headquarters to sleep."

The young man looked down shyly, as he answered "I was going to… but then I realize that I'd much rather be here… with you."

Mikasa could not help but smile as she stepped aside for Eren to enter. "Of course, please come in and make yourself comfortable. I have a fireplace here that keeps this room much warmer then the one you've been living in the last few days."

Eren needed no further goading as he went inside, relishing the warmth of one of the most comfortable rooms he had ever seen. Wall Sina was the abode of the wealthy and even their cheapest inns were quite luxurious, especially to the citizens of Wall Rose and Maria. As soon as he was inside, Mikasa closed the door behind him and watched in amusement as her foster brother looked at their surroundings in awe since he hadn't really notice the first time he was there. The firelight, being the only illumination in the room with the lights turned off, gave the suite a very warm and romantic atmosphere. "Its beautiful…" he exclaimed "And must have been expensive too. How were you able to afford it?"

Mikasa gave a soft laugh as she answered "The commander paid for it. He said it was to reward me for a job well done in helping you stop Annie from escaping."

As he heard this, Eren could not help but frown. He had risked his own life to stop the blonde titan-shifter just as much as anyone else in their squad and was rewarded by being confined to a small, cramped, and cold room at MP Headquarters for his trouble. While he did receive an expensive, high-quality straight razor as a gift from Corporal Levi as well as a free shaving lesson and words of wisdom, it was nowhere near as nice a reward as the room Mikasa was staying in. His foster sister seemed to have sense his thoughts and tried to get his mind off it by taking his hand and leading him to the sofa in front of the fireplace where it was warmest.

"Eren, I know what you must be thinking. The truth is, the commander, corporal, and professor are all in difficult positions now, not just you. And yet, they still managed to convince the higher-ups to spare your life again because they truly believe you can help us win the war against the titans. At least you are not in danger of being executed anymore. You should also be grateful that our superiors are willing to look the other way and risk their jobs to give you even a brief moment of freedom."

Eren smiled and patted her hand. "Yes, I know. And I am grateful to all of them…and you. I also came because I wanted to apologize. It was wrong of me to ask you to leave the Survey Corps if it is your own choice to stay. But if you insist on staying, please promise me you'll be careful in battle; you know I cannot die easily so please don't stick your neck out for me needlessly." As he said this, Eren realized the irony of his own words and that it was now he who was begging her not to be reckless in battle the way he had been in the past. He also realized that he had been selfish not to consider Mikasa's feelings when he used to rush headlong into battles without any regard for his own life. As far as he was concerned, he had no right to even suggest she leave the Survey Corps.

His foster sister seemed to have sensed this and could not help but be pleased to know that Eren had matured much over the past year and learned to value his life as well as be more considerate of the people who loved and cared for him because whether he wanted it or not, he was humanity's greatest hope for survival; so much depended on him that Eren's life did not just belong to him anymore. It was so fortunate that he finally realized that now and Mikasa could rest a little more easily.

"It's alright, Eren. You are not wrong for wanting to protect me or anyone else you care for. But like I said before, we all have to die eventually and when it is our time, we will, no matter where we are or what we do. But I do agree that we should minimize the risks whenever and however we can. I can also assure you that I won't die easily either."

Eren smiled. Hearing Mikasa's promise made him feel a lot better. "I'm glad…" he began as he gently took her face in his hand and looked into her lovely blue-grey eyes. "You know how I feel about you, right?"

Mikasa blushed as she felt butterflies in her stomach at hearing Eren finally acknowledge and admit the feelings for her she knew he had for so long. "How we both feel…yes…"

Leaning over, he whispered "Good" before kissing her softly. Eren had intended the kiss to last only a moment but as soon as he tasted her on his tongue, he was instantly addicted and found himself wanting more as he took advantage of her surprise and slipped his tongue into her mouth to deepen the kiss. She was the sweetest thing he had ever tasted; her flavor was intoxicating, inescapable, and maddeningly overpowering. And as hard as it was, Eren knew he had to stop before he completely lost control of himself and took more then what Mikasa was willing to give and he could not, would not allow that to happen.

With a great deal of effort and willpower, Eren forced himself to pull back and Mikasa whimpered in disappointment. "Eren…please don't stop…" she begged "I want it…I want you…"

And no sooner did those words did those words leave her mouth did Eren realize his mistake. It looked like Mikasa was the one who wanted more then he was willing to give, not because he didn't want to, but because he was afraid of hurting her and ruining the special bond they shared if she were to regret what she asked for later.

Taking her wrists, he gently pushed her away. "I'm sorry, Mikasa, I didn't come here with this intention. I don't want to take advantage of you and make you do something you might regret…"

"You're wrong" she insisted "I meant what I said and feel the only thing I will regret is not being with you now since I may not get another chance later…"

Eren hesitated for a moment. Mikasa did have a point. Sighing, he gently took her face in his hand once more and looked straight into her eyes as if searching for any signs of doubt or hesitation.

"Mikasa…" he began slowly "You know I love you and would do anything to make you happy. But you have to be sure that this is what you _really_ want because once its done, I cannot take it back…"

Mikasa smiled. Eren may have been an impulsive hot-head but he was still an absolute gentleman who respected women and girls, just one of the many things she loved about him. "I've never been so sure of anything in my life. I love you, Eren. Not as a sister loves her brother, but as a woman loves a man…"

"I see...good." Eren said as he kissed Mikasa again, sliding his other arm under her legs to pick her up and carry her to bed. With all the muscle she had packed on from combat training and fighting titans, Eren knew Mikasa was no light flower yet he was still able to lift her as easily as if she was, thanks to the enhanced strength his father's experiments have granted him.

As soon as they were on the bed, Eren allowed Mikasa to do with him as she pleased and the girl felt her cheeks growing hot as she unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off, letting it fall to the floor. Eren immediately noticed the effect he was having on Mikasa and smiled wickedly at her in amusement as if he were the devil himself tempting her to sin. Dear god, looking at his tanned, muscular body was already a sin. But it wouldn't be fair for him to be the only one giving her eye-candy so he quickly got to work pulling her nightgown over her head and finding to his pleasant surprise that she was wearing nothing under it. But being ever-so-impatient, Mikasa did not give Eren's eyes enough time to take their fill before she started working on his pants. As soon as their clothes littered the floor and they were both completely naked on the bed, Eren quickly flipped Mikasa over so that he was on top of her and had to bite his lip to keep from laughing when he saw her blushing furiously at being laid completely bare in front of a male for the first time in her life, even if it was the boy she loved since childhood.

"What's so funny?" Mikasa demanded.

"Nothing…its just that you're so cute when you blush; I rarely ever get to see this side of you and I like it."

"Well, I'm glad at least one of us finds it amusing…" she pouted but did so light-heartedly so that her lover knew it was only a joke. God, he looked so tempting hovering over her like that. Unlike other soldiers whose bodies were often laced with battle scars, Eren's was practically flawless since his healing abilities made it impossible for him to get scarred no matter how badly he was injured. And while Mikasa herself was skillful and fortunate enough to never have sustain injuries that left unbecoming scars, her pale skin still bore some light nicks and cuts from her days as a trainee and from the titans who managed to scratch her before she killed them. Seeing the difference between her skin and Eren's made her feel somewhat ashamed and her lover sensed this for he gently brushed his lips against some of her light scars to let her know that he thought she was beautiful and nothing on her was ugly to his eyes.

"You're so beautiful, Mika, absolutely perfect. I love everything about you…" He did not lie; Mikasa's body was also lean and muscular like his own but still curvaceous and feminine with her shapely legs, hourglass figure and generous bosom. And if Eren's words could not convince her, his eyes did, for in them, Mikasa saw longing and desire like no other. Most people would think it wrong since they were both so young, only sixteen. And while Mikasa had hoped to wait until they were a little older and preferably married before engaging in intimacy, she knew that it may never be; they were both soldiers living in a time of war and there was no guarantee that either of them would survive to adulthood. And while Eren's chances were greater then most, even he could die if he was injured severely enough.

But for now, none of that mattered to them, only the other. And from feeling the hardness of his length against her thigh, Mikasa knew that Eren was more then ready to take her, but only with her consent. Touching his forehead to hers, his voice tight with barely controlled lust, he whispered "I ask one more time, Mikasa: Are you sure? Because if not, tell me now while I still have my self-control."

Looking straight into his beautiful, intense turquoise eyes, she gave her final answer.

"Yes…very sure. I want you to love me, make me yours tonight…"

Smiling, he bent over and kissed her lips before dotting his own down her soft throat and graceful swan-like neck that she always keep hidden by the maroon scarf that was his first gift to her. He was glad that for once, she decided not to wear it for tonight he would give her an even better gift in place of it. Though Eren was no more experienced then Mikasa was in the art of love, he would still try his best to please her and make her first time a night to remember.

Mikasa could not help be feel delighted at the feel of Eren's lips against her skin that was made even more pleasant by the softness of his own. She still couldn't believe that he had actually taken the time to learn how to shave at his age for she knew that Eren was normally quite careless about his appearance but tonight, he made sure he looked absolutely perfect just for her.

Hearing his love's soft mewls of pleasure let Eren know that he was on the right track and went on to fondle her breasts with his hand. Her perfectly-shaped mounds were as sensitive as they were soft yet firm. He never admitted this to anyone, even himself, but since he first noticed them, Eren had always wondered how it would feel to touch and taste them and now that he knew how the former felt, he quickly started working on the latter.

Mikasa whimpered when she felt Eren's lips close around her sensitive nipple before sucking on it like a newborn babe, his thumb brushing against the one on her other breast. It wouldn't be fair for him to be the only one who gets to explore her body; she longed to feel the muscular form and tanned skin that delighted her eyes so much and reached up in an attempt to do so but her wicked lover knew exactly what she was thinking and wasn't going to let her have her way so easily.

"Not so fast, Mika; I haven't had my fill yet!" Eren teased as he gently grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head, being strong enough to restrain her with one hand while using the other to part her thighs slightly and slide a finger inside of her. Mikasa's barrier had long since broken from intense combat training as well as impact from hard falls she had taken in battle, usually common with female soldiers, but she was still a virgin who had never known a man. Of that, Eren had no doubt because he knew Mikasa desired only him and would never willingly give herself to another. She whimpered at the intimate touch, being slowly driven crazy by not being allowed to do the same to him. And as much as Eren would love to tease her more, his own throbbing need was getting too painful to ignore. Letting go of her wrists, he used both his hands to spread her legs wide open to make room for himself between her sensitive inner thighs.

Mikasa let out a soft gasp as she felt Eren's body slowly enter hers. Even with her barrier gone, he still tried to be as gentle as he could and resisted the urge to plunge into her with full force because he didn't want to cause her unnecessary pain since he wasn't sure how her body would take the sudden intrusion. It was fortunate that Mikasa herself did not find it as painful as she heard a woman's first time was supposed to be, perhaps because her barrier had already broken long before she engaged in intimacy with a man; if that was the case, it would not take her long to adjust to Eren who still felt monstrously big inside of her.

As soon as she caught her breath, Mikasa smiled and looped her arms around Eren's neck. "Its all right, I'm fine now. Please take me, my love, I want you… so much it hurts…"

"Then, hold onto me, Mikasa…"

Mikasa obeyed and tightened her hold on Eren as he started to move inside of her, building up a slow and steady rhythm. He decided that it would be better not to work his lover too hard tonight because he did not want her screaming and waking up the other inn inhabitants, just hard enough to satisfy both their needs. Mikasa tried her best to keep quiet as she moaned softly in Eren's ear, his hot breath making the hairs on the back of her neck rise. For his first performance, she had to admit he was doing very well; his maleness stroking her from the inside was a pleasure she felt like no other. Now that her hands were finally free, Mikasa was able to reach up and explore her handsome lover's body like she had always wanted, from his broad shoulders to his well-toned arms and finally the smooth, hard muscles of his chest and back, making him groan in pleasure as he quickly picked up the pace. As their pleasure intensified, Mikasa tried to bury her face in Eren's neck to keep from crying out but he had a better idea and kissed her instead, this time with a hunger like she had never felt before; he could think of no better way to silence them both until he finally released himself inside of her, his warm essence filling her body. Exhausted, from their spent passion, their bodies slick with sweat, Eren felt himself give way and collapsed on top of his beautiful lover as he tried to catch his breath and felt her doing the same.

When she was able to speak again, Mikasa kissed Eren below her ear before whispering "That was amazing… you were wonderful, my love…"

Eren gave a small laugh "I should say the same of you… but I'm afraid you wore me out and I will be needing to sleep again soon even though I already had a week's worth of sleep" he teased with a wink.

"Then sleep, Eren…I will still be here when you awake…" The truth was, Mikasa was just as exhausted and worn out as he was and her eyelids was growing heavy. Eren said no more as he gently eased himself from her before laying back on his side and taking her in his arms. After making sure Mikasa was comfortable, Eren closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

* * *

Much later that night, Mikasa slowly opened her eyes to find herself lying completely naked in the arms of the boy she loved. _No…not a boy, but not yet a man…_ she thought as she gently stroked his soft cheek with her finger. Apparently, Eren was more sensitive then she thought and not long after he felt her touch him, Mikasa saw him slowly awaken and look at her sleepily with his brilliant turquoise eyes whose beauty was enhanced by the soft glow of the firelight bouncing off them, the eyes she had fallen in love with when she first saw them as a child so many years ago.

"Mmm…is time to get up already, Mika?" he teased as he gave her a small smile.

Mikasa took a quick glance at the clock on the wall behind Eren where she was grateful she didn't have to tear her gaze away from him. "About three in the morning. We still have plenty of time before you have to head back for your progress report. And even if you are late, I'm sure the professor will understand."

Eren felt his face grow hot at Mikasa's words. Did she have a similar conversation with Hanji as he did with Levi early last evening before he came to see her? Of course, he didn't even have to ask, the look on her face said it all. Sensing her love's embarrassment, Mikasa quickly leaned forward and kissed him.

"Don't worry, Eren, I won't say a thing… Just stay with me until the morning comes…"

Eren smiled "Of course, Mika…anything for you…"

As he took Mikasa in his arms and they prepared to sleep once more, Eren pressed a soft kiss to her soft raven hair. He remembered how disappointed he was when she chose to cut the long flowing tresses he adored when they were children but over time, he grew to like it and now he thought her hair was beautiful at any length.

"Mikasa?"

"Mmm…yes, Eren?" she answered sleepily.

"I love you…"

"I know… I've always known… and I love you too…"

And with that, the lovers fell asleep again and drifted off together into the world of dreams…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So what do you think of my first Eren/Mika smut? I normally don't like to write love scenes involving teenagers but decided to make an exception for these two since they really are in love and face danger and death everyday. I myself am a firm believer of saving myself for marriage or a truly committed relationship with a life partner but love to set my imagination loose in my writing.


	8. Undisclosed Desires

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan). I write this for your enjoyment only. This drabble takes place during Eren and Mikasa's days as trainees of the 104thCorps before joining the Survey Corps and at about the time they met and got acquainted with Annie Leonhart, not yet knowing her true identity.

Mikasa didn't know why, but she hated the girl. Not merely dislike but hate. Truly and deeply.

Annie Leonhart was a bit of a mystery to everyone who knew her, comrades and superiors alike, with the neutral, lifeless expression she always wore on her delicate heart-shaped face framed by her silken golden hair. Not one person who knew the girl ever recalled seeing her crack a smile or show any emotion but indifference to the world around her. The most others would (or could) say of Annie, was that she was intelligent and that her combat skills were admirable, even though her personality left much to be desired. She was neither likable nor unlikable since she never engaged in hostilities or friendliness with others, only speaking when she was spoken to, and socializing only when she must. Any boys whose interest she piqued did not stick around for very long after they discovered she would not even give them the time of day.

And yet, Mikasa Ackerman found herself despising the girl like no other even though Annie had done nothing to spike her ire. At least, nothing anyone else can see but Mikasa herself. It was true that Annie could match her physical and academic prowess and performance without so much as batting an eyelash, but that was not what Mikasa found so threatening about her.

It was the way she looked at Eren. _Her_ Eren.

Mikasa never considered herself to be the jealous type and it wasn't like her to simply hate someone for no reason, who had done nothing to her. And yet, it took all her willpower not to let her feelings of contempt towards Annie show on her face. While the petite blonde girl never let any emotion betray her delicate features, the desire in her lovely ice-blue eyes when they fell upon Eren Jaeger, was as clear as day to the one who loved him, deserved him most.

Mikasa knew that Annie was not the only girl who had eyes for Eren. Sasha, Christa, Mina, and many others did as well. But their interest in her foster brother never went beyond liking his winning, charismatic personality or admiration for his fine looks since they all had their own boyfriends and thought Eren would likely be more than they could handle anyway with his hot-headedness and impulsiveness. He wasn't compatible with any of them and they knew it so they chose to simply admire the handsome young man from a distance and be nothing more than his friend.

Annie Leonhart, however, was different. Compatible or not, she wanted Eren, plain and simple, even if the boy himself may not even realize it with the rough way she treated him during combat training. But that didn't fool Mikasa; the eyes of jealousy were very sharp, after all. Especially with the way Annie would throw Eren to the ground and sit on top of him in what she saw as a provocative position even though the others thought nothing of it. It was almost as if the blonde girl was deliberately trying to taunt her since everyone in their ranks, except for maybe Eren himself, knew how she really felt about him. And while Mikasa was beautiful with her silken raven hair, blue-grey eyes and other exotic Asiatic features, Annie was no less so, another thing she found so threatening about the girl, that she would eventually try and use her beauty to tempt Eren as soon as the opportunity arose.

But Mikasa would never allow that. Even if she knew she had no official claim on her foster brother, she would never let another woman have him. Eren was hers. Not Annie's, not Sasha's, not Christa's, or anyone else's. As a soldier, she was used to sharing everything from food to living space to the very clothes she wore. But there was something she would never share: Eren. He was _hers_ and only hers.

Whether he liked it or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ok, my newest installment. Sorry if it's a bit short; I intended it to be more of a portrayal of Mikasa's possible feelings towards Annie then an actual story. As I watched the last few episodes of SnK season one, I noticed that as a titan, Annie went through a lot of trouble to capture Eren alive and that the reason was not revealed, at least not that I've seen so far. So I wrote this snippet as my personal take on Annie's motivations for capturing Eren, because she desired him as a lover (and why not since he's so handsome?) :p I also took into consideration how Mikasa asked Eren (possibly out of jealousy) if he hesitated to fight Annie, even after discovering her identity, because he had feelings for her. I'm sure he did, but those feelings likely did not go beyond friendship and admiration for Annie as a fellow soldier as well as not wanting to believe that she was the one responsible for the deaths of Levi's special ops squad as well as the other fallen soldiers of the 57thexpedition beyond the walls.


	9. The Games We Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan). I write this for your enjoyment only. I also write this for two of my reviewers, Maesde and Dragonball256, who requested a jealousy, love-triangle type story between Eren, Mikasa, and Annie. This story takes place during their trainee days with the rest of the 104thCorps. It is also my take on how Eren and Mikasa finally admit that they are indeed attracted to each other so enjoy and please review!

"Oof!" Eren yelped as he was being tackled to the ground by his 'trainer', Annie Leonhart. As soon as he was on his back, the blonde girl sat on top of him, her icy-blue eyes glinting triumphantly even though not a hint of emotion betrayed her delicate features. It took all of Mikasa's willpower not to scream at Annie to get the hell off of Eren since she knew such an outburst would create an awkward situation with so many members of their squad watching. She also felt that something wasn't right since this must be the hundredth time Eren lost to Annie and it wasn't like him to fall for the same trick twice, let alone a hundred times. It was almost as if Eren was deliberately holding back and letting the blonde girl win.

 _But why?_ Mikasa wondered as she tried to keep her temper in check. _I know he can fight better than this. Does he find being dominated by a woman some kind of turn-on?_

Now that she thought about it, Eren almost always lost to the girls whenever training in hand-to-hand combat while he almost always beat the guys and easily too; it couldn't be coincidence as far as Mikasa was concerned. Perhaps Eren was capable of beating practically anyone in their squad, herself included, but purposely loses to anyone he chooses to and the fact that he did not think to balance his victories and losses between male and female opponents was a dead-giveaway to Mikasa, even if no one else in their squad appears to notice.

"Good match, Jaeger", Annie said coolly as she offered her hand to help Eren up. "You look like you've got quite a way to go before you can beat me, but you're getting there."

As she said this, Annie remained expressionless but Mikasa was still able to catch the excitement in her icy-blue eyes from her close physical contact with Eren. Not just from pinning him down, but also with every time she touched him as well, no matter how slight; the eyes of jealousy were very sharp, after all. No one could see the desire in Annie's eyes whenever she looked upon Eren but Mikasa alone. And while she used to dismiss the blonde girl's feelings for her foster brother as one-sided, Mikasa was now starting to have doubts since he was proud of his combat skills yet uttered not a word of complaint even after being beaten by Annie for the hundredth time.

Mikasa watched as Eren simply smiled in gracious acknowledgment of his defeat and said "Thank you, Annie. I appreciate it. And as much as I'd love to stick around, it looks like I'll have to be retiring earlier than usual since you've left me quite sore."

Although Eren appeared to sound like he was simply making an excuse to leave, Annie took it as an invitation. "I have some knowledge of massage therapy that my mother taught me. Would you like me to help you relieve some tension?"

Before Eren could answer, Mikasa cut in. "You need not trouble yourself, Annie. I will take care of Eren" she said, more harshly than she intended as she shot her foster brother a look that told him she wasn't really giving him a choice in the matter and not wanting to create an awkward scene, he gave in.

"I appreciate the offer, Annie, but like Mikasa says, you need not trouble yourself; I'm sure you must be tired from training as well so the last thing you need is more work taking care of me."

The blonde girl closed her eyes and lowered her head as if trying to hide what Eren and Mikasa thought was a look of disappointment. "Very well, have a good night, you two. Until next time." And with that, Annie turned and left with the small crowd of spectators following suit now that the show was over.

When they were finally alone, Eren looked like he wanted to say something to Mikasa, probably question her actions regarding Annie, but his foster sister did not give him a chance. Before he could say a word, she roughly grabbed him by the arm and half-led, half-dragged him to a dark corner outside the female barracks.

"Hey, what's the big idea?!" Eren demanded as soon as they were alone and away from the earshot of the others.

"I believe I'm the one who should be asking you that!"

Eren blinked "I beg your pardon?"

"Don't play dumb with me! I've watched you and Annie train God knows how many times and she always manages to get the best of you which looks very suspicious to me because I know you can fight better than that!"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Is that supposed to fool me, Eren?"

 _Oh man, a guy just can't win..._ he thought, but instead insisted:

"Look, there's nothing to fool you about, I swear!"

Mikasa glared at him for a moment before scoffing in exasperation and storming away. Either Eren was playing the fool or he really was dense because she didn't know what else to say that wouldn't give her true feelings away.

Later that night, Mikasa left the female barracks in her white nightdress to go for a walk around the camp when she finally realized that sleep wasn't going to come easy, especially after everything that happened that day. Thankfully, it was summer and the evenings were warm enough to walk outside without a sweater or coat. Looking further out, Mikasa noticed that a small campfire was lit outside and that there was someone tending to it. As she approached the fire, she noticed that it was none other than Eren sitting on a log before it, poking at the flames with a stick. Like her, he was also out of uniform and clad in a light tan shirt and brown pants, possibly his sleepwear.

Upon hearing her approaching footsteps, he turned and was surprised to see the very person whose displeasure he was on the receiving end of earlier that evening.

"Mikasa? What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I could say the same of you" she replied coolly.

Eren regarded his foster sister curiously. Part of him was relieved that she seem no longer upset but part of him also wanted to demand an explanation for her outburst towards him earlier. Unfortunately, he wasn't sure how to go about it in a way that wouldn't make her explode again which was the last thing he wanted since that would surely wake their sleeping comrades. So in the end, he decided it was better not to bring it up at all and instead said "I couldn't sleep. I suppose I'm still a bit sore from training today but I guess it can't be helped. If it's not too much to ask, Mikasa, could you please squeeze my shoulders a bit? It would make me feel a lot better."

As he asked this, Eren held his breath while waiting for Mikasa's answer and hoped she wouldn't bring up the incident with Annie offering to relieve him of tension now that he was asking her to do it. To his relief, his foster sister silently granted his request as she took a seat beside him on the log and made a gesture for him to face her. After Eren complied, Mikasa gently placed her hands on the side of his arms and started to squeeze them, using her fingers to feel for the knots in his muscles. So he wasn't lying about being sore at least which was good.

"It looks like Annie did a number on you…" she said quietly.

"Well, she is a good fighter…" Eren admitted as he relaxed and gave himself up to her care. He also had to admit that Mikasa could be incredibly gentle when she wasn't busy roughing him up.

"No more so than you…"

Eren regarded her curiously. "And just what are you getting at, Mikasa?"

"I find it hard to believe you can fall for the same trick so many times; even you are not that gullible."

Upon hearing the displeasure in Mikasa's voice, Eren had to fight to keep a huge grin from forming on his face. What she said was true; he was a better fighter than he let on but knew that wasn't what she was really upset about. Contrary to what Mikasa thought, Eren was aware of Annie's attraction to him even though his own interest in her did not go beyond appreciating her abilities and respecting her as a fellow soldier. Still, he had to see if his suspicions about his foster sister was correct…

"You're right, I'm not" he confessed, "I simply didn't want to hurt her or any other girls of our squad."

"But you don't seem to mind hurting the guys."

"They can take it."

"And what makes you think we can't? Do you underestimate us simply because we're girls?"

"Not at all. I have only the utmost respect for all of you and your abilities. It's just that I'm too much of a gentleman to want to hurt a girl, especially if it's just for combat training…" Eren paused, waiting to see if Mikasa would take the bait; he was not to be disappointed.

"Any girl? Or Annie in particular?"

"Is that what's bothering you? Why would you be upset about me not wanting to hurt Annie? Unless…"

Mikasa raised an eyebrow "Unless what?"

Eren looked her in the eyes as he tried his hardest to resist smiling. "Unless… you're a little jealous…"

Mikasa's eyes flashed, almost dangerously, and for a moment, he thought she might clobber him, but remained calm even though he could see that it took quite a bit of effort on her part. "I don't experience jealousy…" she said matter-of-factly as if the very emotion was a petty thing that was beneath her.

"And why not?" Eren challenged "You're human, aren't you?"

As Mikasa massaged her way up his arms and shoulders to the sides of his neck and ears, she calmly insisted (even though he could tell it was forced) "I am not, in any way, jealous of you and Annie."

"Well, if not, you're sure doing a pretty good imitation of it."

"How so, Eren?"

"Your voice is tensing up; it's a dead giveaway."

"I didn't realize that you were an expert in vocal implications" his foster sister shot back in annoyance.

"I don't need to be an expert to read you."

Upon hearing that Mikasa looked like she was starting to crack and Eren could not help but be pleased.

"Come on, admit it!"

She still refused "You're implying that I'm attracted to you."

"Yeah, well…that kind of goes along with the assumption, does it?" he asked sheepishly.

Mikasa smirked. Two can play this game.

"I think you're mistaken about who's attracted to whom" she replied coolly.

Now it was Eren's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Are you saying that I'm attracted to you?"

"I don't need to say it, you already have. Or at least something like it."

"Whoa, I don't remember us having this conversation…"

"We didn't. You and Jean did."

Eren stared at her in shock. Did she happened to overhear the conversation between him and their older comrade-in-arms the other day? He thought he made sure that he and Jean were alone when he pulled the older youth aside and told him to stay the hell away from Mikasa because she was his and no one else's. And of course, he wouldn't say such a thing if he thought of her only as a sister.

"Mikasa, were you eavesdropping?" he demanded.

Now it was Mikasa's turn to resist smiling. It wasn't hard for her to figure out why Eren didn't mind hurting their male comrades during combat training as well as why none of them dared to approach her even though she knew she piqued many of their interests, especially Jean's.

"Your voice is tensing up."

"Oh, so now you're the vocal expert?"

"I don't need to be an expert to read you."

"I can't believe this… I'm jealous of you and Jean?"

"Are you?"

"N-no, absolutely not!" Eren denied fiercely before calming down when he saw the way Mikasa was looking at him. She had been baiting him and he fell for it just like she fell for his earlier.

"Okay…so maybe… maybe I am a little jealous" he admitted.

"Which means you are attracted to me."

He stared at her as if he had no idea how to answer that so she simply said, "It goes with the assumption."

Eren felt himself starting to crack and was about to make a sharp retort when Mikasa suddenly grabbed his face and crashed her lips onto his, catching him totally off guard. It looked like she was the one who cracked under their building tension first. The boy felt like his eyes would pop out of his head when he felt her lips upon his. He knew that this was not how a brother and sister is supposed to kiss. For the past six years they lived and acted as siblings but now they can no longer deny their attraction to each other because they knew they obviously weren't; they weren't fooling anyone, including themselves.

After recovering from his shock, Eren grabbed Mikasa by the shoulders and returned her kiss with a passion and were it not for the fact that they were outside and the possibility of their comrades hearing them and waking, he might have been tempted to take it further but finally had to force himself to stop.

"Mikasa… I think we should take this a little more slowly…" he began after he caught his breath. And for the first time in a long time, she actually agreed with him.

"Yes… you're right. It would be better to wait a bit before doing anything else" she said, a deep pink blush staining her cheeks and Eren could not help but smile. Mikasa looked so cute when she blushed and it was such a rare treat for him to see it since he didn't get to see that side of her often.

After the moment had passed, Eren said "It's getting late, perhaps we should turn in. I'm feeling much better so I think I'll finally be able to sleep now. Thank you for helping me, Mikasa."

The girl smiled, apparently happy that she had gotten something out of taking care of her foster brother, so much that Annie did not even cross her mind again, at least for tonight. "You're welcome, Eren, anytime. It looks like I'll be turning in too. Good night and I'll see you tomorrow."

"You too, Mikasa. Sweet dreams…"

Mikasa suppressed a giggle as she turned and ran back to the female barracks. Oh she was definitely going to have sweet dreams tonight all right...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So what do you think of my love triangle fic? Or more accurately, love square since it is apparent in the anime that Jean has a thing for Mikasa as well ^^ I want to thank my reviewers for suggesting this; I'm only sorry I couldn't think of anything better since there are already so many good Eren/Mika/Annie fics out there.


	10. Child of Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) I write this for your enjoyment only. This installment is a backstory from Eren's early childhood and his memories with his father, Dr. Grisha Jaeger, who is still a bit of a mystery since he does not get much character development and the manga has yet to reveal the motives for his actions regarding Eren as well as the Reiss family so I have decided to write my own take on it. Enjoy and please review! ;)

Fall, year 840

"Hey, dad, wait up!" A young boy called as he frantically tried to keep up with his father's pace, at least, as best as he could with a heavy backpack filled with supplies.

Dr. Grisha Jaeger turned around to see his young son, five-year-old Eren Jaeger, panting as the boy struggled to catch up. Though Eren was his and Carla's pride and joy, Grisha still had to resist the temptation to coddle him if he was going to be an effective warrior for humanity one day. Trying to keep a stern look on his face, the doctor signed.

"Eren, how do you ever expect to be accepted by the Survey Crops if you cannot even keep up with me?" he asked matter-of-factly.

When he heard his father mention the corps, Eren's eyes lit up. "Of course, dad, I'm sorry! I won't complain anymore."

"Good to hear. Now hurry up and get over here…"

The little boy obeyed and the doctor waited patiently as Eren did his best to catch up. Since the day he was born, Grisha and Carla have been told by their neighbors and friends what a handsome child their son was. His unnatural strength for a boy his age also did not go unnoticed. Grisha knew his little Eren was more than capable of keeping up with him but was simply being a little lazy and needed to be pushed.

As soon as Eren caught up and caught his breath, he asked, "Where are we going this time, dad?"

"We're going to take a trip in the woods today; I'm going to show you some basic survival skills you're going to be needing when you grow up."

"Okay."

For the first few years of Eren's life, the doctor had conducted the boy's alterations in secret, usually in the middle of the night when Carla was asleep and after his student, Zoe Hanji, had gone home for the day, and since his son was so young, Eren would remember nothing of what happened the next day, only assume that he had been dreaming which Grisha would always confirm if he ever brought it up to avoid rousing the suspicion of his mother. Of course, the good doctor felt bad about keeping secrets from his beloved wife, especially regarding Eren since he knew Carla would never willingly allow him to alter their son due to her fierce protectiveness of him, but Grisha knew this was something that had to be done, for the sake of humanity's future.

Luckily, Grisha had been able to keep his experimentation and alterations of his son a secret for some time but now that Eren was older, it was finally necessary to take him away from the sight and earshot of his mother to continue. It also helped that Eren no longer missed or cried for his older playmate and babysitter now that Hanji had left to join the Survey Corps two years prior. Although both Grisha and Carla were very fond of her and hoped she would eventually return for a visit, they knew there was a chance they would never see her again since the corps were known for their high mortality rate. In fact, since she left, the Jaegers have not heard anything from her but understood that Hanji's duties probably kept her too busy to write, though they have recently heard news of her promotion as the Survey Corp's chief science officer, a position Grisha himself held before Eren's birth; as soon as he discovered Carla was pregnant with their son, he informed his friend and superior, Keith Shadis, of his resignation though he had kept in touch with his commanding officer over the years. Strangely enough, Shadis could not find one person qualified enough to replace Grisha until Hanji came along. As the last two years went by without a word from Grisha's young student, Eren thought and spoke of her less and less and his parents felt that it was for the best.

After entering the woods, Grisha ordered his son to unload his bag and help him set up camp. Always eager to please the father he adored and idolized, Eren obeyed. The father and son pair had been walking all day and the sun was beginning to set. It looks like they will have to call it a day and begin Eren's lessons tomorrow. After his fifth birthday, Grisha suggested to his wife that he wished to take their son on 'educational field trips', usually once a month for two to three days and teach him how to hunt, fish, and scout as well as study and she consented. Though Carla herself preferred that Eren simply stay at home until he was old enough to go to school, she agreed with her husband that it would be good for their son to get a head start on his education for she hoped that Eren would one day grow up to be a respectable doctor just like his father.

Unfortunately, Dr. Jaeger himself had other plans for their son.

After the tent and campfire was set, Grisha opened his own backpack and took out a small box where he kept some of his needles and other medicines. As Eren watched his father from his seat on a log across the other side of the fire, a feeling of déjà vu washed over him, even though Grisha insisted that he would never give him or anyone else a shot or treatment outside the safety and cleanliness of his home clinic unless it was truly necessary.

"Dad, what are you doing?"

While watching Grisha silently proceed in putting together the syringe and needle as well as prepare the little bottle of unknown medicine that he just knew was meant for him, Eren felt nervous. Like all children, he hated getting shots, even if the doctor was his own father. As Grisha turned to his son, Eren found himself stubbornly trying to keep his arms away from his father.

"Eren", the doctor began in the most soothing tone he could muster while reaching out for his son's arm and giving it a gentle pull, "this is going to hurt a little but you must bear it."

The little boy shook his head stubbornly. Even though he felt as though he had been through this before like his instincts strongly implied, he still didn't like shots.

"No way, I don't want a shot! They hurt!" he protested.

Of course, Grisha, being a doctor, was used to children trying to avoid shots and knew exactly how to get them to listen, especially Eren.

"But Eren, if you take this shot, something amazing will happen!" the doctor said in an awe-filled tone as he tried his best to sound convincing.

Upon hearing that, Eren's interest was piqued and he lowered his arm ever so slightly. "What will happen?" he asked curiously, his large turquoise eyes filled with curiosity.

"This shot will give you super-powers!"

"Really?" the boy asked innocently and he turned towards his father.

"Yes, but you must not misuse this power. Someday, bad people will come and try to break down the walls and you must protect everyone. That's what this power is for, to protect!"

His fear forgotten and replaced with excitement, Eren nodded and eagerly held out his arm. "I promise, dad!"

Trying to hide his relief, Grisha took his son's arm to find that one spot on his wrist. Thankfully, the boy did not even wince when the needle broke his skin…

* * *

Eren slowly opened his eyes as the sunlight touched his lids from the slightly opened flap of the tent. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his father preparing breakfast for them over the open campfire. Though Grisha was nowhere near as good a cook as his wife, Eren always tried his best not to complain out of love and respect for his father. As Eren sat up, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes before leaving the tent to join Grisha for breakfast which consisted of some bread, cheese, dried meat, and bottled water that Carla had packed for them before they left on their trip.

As soon as he saw his son, the doctor smiled. "Good morning, Eren, did you sleep well?"

"Yes, dad. Did you give me a shot yesterday?" the boy asked in confusion for his memory of the day before was rather vague.

Grisha, who had been asked this by his son many times in the past, was prepared for his question and gave the usual reply. "Of course not, Eren. You must have been dreaming, that's all…"

"Oh…" Eren began as he scratched his head in confusion. "So what are we going to do today, dad?"

"Well, for starters, I want to see how well you remember your fishing lesson from last time before I teach you anything new, ok?"

"Yes, dad!"

Grisha smiled "That's the spirit!" Even though deep down the doctor knew what he was doing to his son was questionable at best, he was sure that it would be worth it, it had to be.

After they had finished breakfast, the father and son pair packed their things and prepared for their trip to the lake to review Eren's fishing skills. So far, everything Grisha had planned for his son had been a success but it will take at least another five years of hard work (and secrecy) before Eren's transformation is complete. After that, there would be nothing more the doctor can do but place his complete faith in his belief that Eren will fulfill his hopes in protecting and serving humanity for he was now a child of destiny…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry for the long wait but I was stuck with writer's block for a bit while waiting for updates on the manga. There is still a lot we don't know about Dr. Jeager's motivations for doing what he did but I'm hoping that future manga chapters will go in more detail on his backstory. After reading chapter 64, I got the idea for this fic and decided to explore possibilities on Eren's relationship with his father. I hope you enjoyed it. The next installment is not long in coming so look forward to it! ;)


	11. Feels Like Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan). I write this for your enjoyment only. This installment is a direct sequel to my previous fic 'Child of Destiny' and takes place a few years later when Mikasa is adopted by the Jaeger family. Enjoy!

Winter, year 844

Nine-year old Mikasa Ackerman slowly opened her eyes to the soft breathing of a little boy her age lying next to her on the bed, his arm wrapped around her protectively as he slept, and found herself smiling. This had been going on for a few months since Mikasa was adopted into the Jaeger family after the tragic murder of her parents. Though they had never met and knew nothing of each other prior to the incident, Eren had been very protective of Mikasa from the day she moved into their home, always staying up to make sure she was comfortable enough to fall asleep before turning in himself, even if that took half of the night. As a result, Mikasa often found herself having to wake Eren in the morning for breakfast whenever he overslept. If he was really tired, she would just let him sleep and get up to help Carla prepare breakfast for the family; it was the least she could do for her new 'brother'.

Before moving in with the Jaegers, Mikasa was used to having her own space and felt a little awkward when she learned that she and Eren had to share a room due to the fact that his parents did not have any others to spare since they did not expect to have any more children after their son, biological or adopted. But the couple did try to accommodate their new 'daughter' as best as they could by getting her a new bed and placing it on the other side of the room from Eren's. Ironically, however, Mikasa found herself asking Eren to sleep next to her since she found it difficult to fall asleep in her new bed alone and felt more secure with him next to her, probably out of fear and worry that she would be snatched away by kidnappers again. Under other circumstances, the boy might have been uncomfortable with such a request but knowing the reason for her insecurity made his desire to protect her overpower his own discomfort. Eren had intended for it to be temporary but before he knew it, he found himself sleeping next to Mikasa every night and waking up almost every morning with his arm wrapped protectively around her.

Of course, Grisha and Carla themselves also noticed that their son had not been sleeping in his own bed much since Mikasa moved in due to the fact that his blankets and sheets would go untouched for days, sometimes even weeks at a time and they knew that Eren was particularly lazy about making his bed until ordered to do so by his mother. However, they would pretend not to notice since it was their hope as well as that of the late Ackermans that their children would become friends even though they had not wished for it to be under such tragic circumstances. Aside from Mikasa being the daughter of their friends, the Jaegers also took her in out of desire for the young pair to provide each other with companionship since Eren's hot temper and Mikasa's shyness made it difficult for them to make friends with other children.

After gently prying Eren's arm from her and taking great care not to wake him, Mikasa sat up, got out of bed and left their room to help Carla prepare breakfast after changing clothes and finishing her morning bathroom routine. As she quietly opened the door to the kitchen, Mikasa found her foster mother already awake as usual and heating up the stove after setting the uncooked food on the kitchen counter. When she noticed the little girl, Carla smiled. "Good morning, Mikasa! Did you sleep well?" she asked cheerfully as though the tragic incident that resulted in the loss of Mikasa's parents only a few months prior had never happened. She knew that the Jaegers only had her best interests at heart and always did their best to help her feel like she was part of the family not just to honor the memory of her real parents, but also because they too, wanted a daughter of their own since they were unable to have any more children after their son. From what Mikasa heard, Eren's difficult birth placed a great strain on Carla's body and Dr. Jaeger feared the possibility of losing her to childbirth if they attempted to have any more children so he decided not to risk it.

"Yes, mom, thank you!" Mikasa answered in the most cheerful tone she could muster before starting her usual routine in helping Carla prepare breakfast. In addition to treating her like family, the Jaegers also allowed Mikasa to call them 'mother' and 'father' if it made her feel more comfortable. As for her relationship with Eren, that was something completely new that Mikasa had to explore since she too, was an only child and never had any siblings of her own. And being ever-so-grateful to her foster parents, Mikasa tried her hardest to be a good daughter as she had no idea how she would have survived if they had not taken her in, even if she had managed to escape her kidnappers alone all those months ago.

As Carla watched Mikasa make herself useful, she could not help but secretly feel grateful to have the little girl in her family even if it seemed a bit selfish. Since her husband's young student, Zoe Hanji, had left them to pursue her dream as a science officer of the Survey Corps, Carla had found Eren to be quite a handful and although Grisha tried his best to be an attentive husband and father, his work more often than not, kept him busier than they would have liked. The only breaks Carla got was when her husband started taking their son on 'educational field trips' that ironically also left her feeling lonely since they would leave her at home by herself for days at a time. But she still felt it was good for them to spend some quality time together as father and son so Carla tried not to complain. Even though her foster mother would never admit it, Mikasa sense that was one of the reasons Carla was happy to adopt her since they would have each other for company whenever Grisha and Eren left home for their trips. Not that she was complaining; Mikasa too enjoyed the company of her foster mother and their quality time together as well.

"Is Eren still asleep?" Carla asked worriedly. "This is the third morning in a row he has slept in. It's a good thing you two are still on winter break from school or I would have a hard time explaining to your teacher why he keeps coming late to class."

Mikasa blushed. "I'm sorry, please don't blame Eren. The fact that he's been sleeping in these past few days is actually my fault. I was having a hard time sleeping and he was worried about me. Even though I tell him he doesn't have to, Eren simply refuses to go to bed until he sees me fall asleep first."

Upon hearing that, Carla's expression softened. Since Mikasa had moved in, she had noticed a change in her son for she had never seen him so protective of anyone. Of course, the young mother was upset when her husband told her that Eren had run off on his own to rescue Mikasa from three dangerous adult thugs by himself, a foolish move that could have easily gotten him killed, but was later grateful as well as relieved that he did for if Eren and Grisha had waited for the police to arrive, Mikasa's kidnappers would have been long gone with her as their hostage.

"I see… is everything ok, Mikasa?"

"Of course!" the little girl insisted. "I just get nightmares sometimes, that's all. I told Eren it's nothing to worry about but he does anyway. I don't know what to do."

Carla laughed. "I know, Mikasa. But it's wonderful when someone cares for you that way."

Mikasa found herself blushing again and before she could reply, she and her foster mother heard a soft yawn and boyish voice calling from behind them.

"What way?"

Turning, Carla and Mikasa found Eren slowly making his way into the kitchen while rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"N-nothing!" Mikasa cried before Carla could reply, all while hoping that no one would notice how red her cheeks were and not wanting to embarrass her daughter, Carla resisted the temptation to answer her curious son and decided to change the subject.

"So you're finally up, Eren. Why don't you make yourself useful and help Mikasa set up the table? I'm almost done cooking and your father will be joining us soon."

Eren was curious as to what his mother and Mikasa had been talking about just before he arrived but upon seeing the embarrassed look on his foster sister's face, decided not to push it and simply said: "Yes, mom."

After the table was set and everyone was seated, Doctor Jaeger entered the room as he straightened out his cravat and shirt to prepare himself for the day.

"Morning, dad!" Eren and Mikasa greeted.

"Good morning, dear" Carla said as she gave her husband a kiss which he returned briefly before remembering that the children were watching and gently broke it off.

"Good morning to you too, dear. I know it's rather sudden, but can you pack some food for us? I need to take Eren out again. It will be short this time, we'll be back by tomorrow night."

Carla frowned, her brows furrowing in concern. "Today? But it's the middle of winter! Can't you at least wait for it to get warmer before taking Eren on another trip like you've always done, Grisha?"

The doctor shook his head and gave his wife a serious look. "Not this time, Carla. It's about time I teach Eren how to hunt and fish efficiently, even in unfavorable conditions."

Although Carla had been supportive of Grisha taking their son on trips in the past, she could not help but feel worried that he now suggested doing so in such harsh weather but as a good wife, she felt obligated to trust her husband to have the best interest of their son at heart.

"Very well, Grisha. But promise me that you will come home if the weather gets really bad, ok? I don't want Eren getting sick unnecessarily, even if you are a doctor and his father."

"Yes, Carla, I promise. Do you hear that, Eren? We'll be leaving after breakfast and I want to cover as much ground as possible before the sun sets, understand?"

Although Eren would rather not take another trip now that it was cold and snowing, he still did not wish to disobey his father, not out of fear of punishment, but rather out of love and respect as well as trust.

"Yes, dad."

* * *

Later that night, long after Grisha and Eren had left, Mikasa found herself staying up late again and looking up at the starry night sky through her bedroom window while sitting in bed. Ever since she had joined the Jaeger family, Mikasa knew it was routine for her foster father to take Eren on brief field trips and while she did miss both of them when they were gone, she was still grateful their absence gave her a chance to spend time with and grow closer to her foster mother.

"Mikasa? Are you still up? Can you not sleep?"

Upon hearing the soft voice of her mother, the little girl turned to see Carla entering her's and Eren's bedroom.

"Oh, no, I'm ok, mom!" Mikasa insisted. I'll be ok going to sleep in a bit. I just miss Eren, that's all."

Carla smiled as she took a seat next to Mikasa on the bed and gently stroked the girl's lovely silken hair, a gift from her Asian mother. "I know, sweetheart, I do too. But it's important to your father that Eren becomes educated in the ways of the real world, not just in school. If I wasn't so busy taking care of the house and managing his patient records, I would take you on field trips too!" As she said this, Carla gave a soft laugh and Mikasa joined her for they both knew she was only joking since Carla would actually not bode so well out in the wilderness away from the comfort of the city and was nowhere near as qualified as her husband to teach anyone how to fish, hunt, or any other survival skills. But that still didn't mean she had no valuable knowledge to share with her foster daughter.

"I understand, mom. But you don't have to take me on a trip out in the wilderness if you don't like it. It's not like there isn't anything else we can do together."

Carla raised a brow "Oh? And how do you know that I don't like camping?"

Mikasa tried her hardest not to giggle as she answered, "Dad told me that he took you once and that you couldn't stand the bugs."

"Oh, now did he?" Carla asked playfully. "Well, yes, that's true, he did take me camping once not long after we were married and I did hate it, probably because I wasn't used to living it rough like him, being a former soldier and all. And since your father knew I didn't like leaving the comfort of the city, he did not suggest camping again, at least not together, until Eren turned five."

Mikasa frowned as she could not help but feel that there was more going on in Grisha's and Eren's field trips then the good doctor was letting on and she sensed that deep down, Carla felt it too even though she did her best to hide it. "Mom, is it really necessary for dad to take Eren camping so frequently? I mean, other kids at school told me they rarely go more than once or twice a year. And especially not during winter."

Carla nodded. "Yes, I thought that was strange too but I have faith in your father to do what is best for Eren. I'm sure you noticed by now that he's not exactly like other children. Your father told me that he also felt it was important for Eren to become more in tune with nature to calm his fiery temper which he will definitely need to control in the future. But now that you're with us, I was hoping that you would be able to help with that as well."

Mikasa was confused "Help with what?" she asked curiously.

Carla sighed as she placed her hand back on her lap. "I'm sure you've noticed by now that Eren can be very impulsive and difficult sometimes. Being out in nature and meditating isn't going to be enough to control his fiery nature. That's why I'm asking you to be there for him because your father and I aren't going to be around forever. Eventually, one day it will be just the two of you and you're going to need to be able to count on and look out for each other. Eren is stubborn and would never admit this, but he is very protective of those he cares about and if you are with him, he will more likely than not, think twice about putting himself in danger so recklessly."

"I'm not sure I understand, mom. But I will do my best."

Carla smiled. She didn't expect her daughter to understand right away; Mikasa was still very young. But that was okay as long as she remembered her words.

"It's ok if you don't understand now, sweetheart, you will eventually… In time."

"Yes, mom."

"That's the spirit. Since Eren and your father won't be back until tomorrow night, how about we go out to the town square tomorrow as usual? I will be needing fabric to make us some new clothes as well as a few other things. We can go to the theater and watch a play after we're done shopping."

"Yes, of course, I would like that. Will we be back in time to make dinner for dad and Eren? They did say they would be home tomorrow night."

"We will, I timed everything just right." Carla said as she bent over to give Mikasa a motherly kiss on her cheek. "Now try to get some sleep, Mika, we have to get to the market place early tomorrow after breakfast."

"I understand, mom. Thank you for everything you've done for me."

"It's ok, dear. Your parents were very good friends of ours so it's the least we can do. I know we can never replace them in your heart but we will always love you like our own daughter. Good night, Mikasa."

"I love you too, mom. Good night!"

* * *

The next day came and went rather quickly. As planned, Carla and Mikasa went to the town square and marketplace of Wall Maria to go shopping, have lunch, and enjoy a play at the local theater before heading back just in time to prepare dinner for the family. As soon as they had finished setting up the dinner table, they heard the front door being unlocked and Doctor Jaeger opening the door and stepping inside the house with his son following suit. It has just begun to snow again and the father and son pair were lightly covered in snowflakes.

As soon as she saw her husband, Carla stopped what she was doing and greeted him at the door as well as Eren. "Welcome home, dear! How was the trip?"

"It was good. Eren performed better than I expected. I also taught him a few new things like punching a hole in a frozen shallow pond to catch fish. It's a bit of work but will be useful to him in the future."

"I see…interesting. But enough, dinner is ready. You can tell us about the rest of your trip at the table."

As the family sat down to eat, Carla and Mikasa noticed that Eren appeared to be exhausted and a little out of it which had them concerned.

"Dad, what's wrong with Eren? Is he all right?" Mikasa asked curiously.

"He's fine" Grisha assured. "I just pushed him a little harder than usual this time and he's just a little tired, is all. Nothing a nice dinner and good night's sleep won't fix."

Carla looked at her son before turning to her husband with an expression of concern on her face. "Grisha, I know that you want our son to be strong and educated in the ways of the world like your own father made you but please remember that he's still a child and has plenty of time to learn what he needs to know for the future. Don't push him too hard or you will wear him out unnecessarily."

"Yes, I understand, Carla. I promise to go a little easier on him next time." Doctor Jaeger held his breath as he waited for his wife's reply and was relieved when she chose not to push it further.

"Very well. Remember your promise, dear."

"I will. Thank you for understanding, Carla. And you too, Mikasa."

Mikasa nodded and the family had dinner with no further mention of Eren's condition. As they ate, the little girl noticed that her brother was not his usual chatty self. This happened almost every time he and Grisha returned from their field trips and Mikasa could not help but wonder what her father had Eren doing that wore him out so much.

Unfortunately, it would be at least a few more years before she discovered the terrible truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: As promised, another quick installment. So what do you think of this one? Since Mikasa only lived with the Jaegers for a year before the fall of Wall Maria, her life with them had not been shown in much detail in the anime or manga so I decided to try and fill in the gap a little since I'm sure Mika must have had enough time to grow close to her foster family. I already have an idea for the next installment but want to wait until the next one or two chapters of the manga are released for I am curious as to what will happen when Eren and Mikasa reach the basement of their old home and uncover the secrets there. Please look forward to it! ;)


	12. A Secret History Revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) I write this for your enjoyment only. Unlike the others I've written so far, this story is mostly from Hanji's POV and her memories of her time with the Jaeger family. I really recommend reading 'What He Really Is' to better understand this story because it is the one in which Hanji reveals her relationship with Doctor Jaeger and his family to Mikasa as well as the origins of Eren's titan-shifting abilities.

Winter, Year 855, present day…

The wind slowly died down as a dark-haired woman approaching her prime made her way through the snow-covered ground until she reached her intended destination. When she arrived at the right spot, she stopped to catch her breath as walking through the wind and snow took quite a bit of energy. After the woman had finally managed to relax, she sighed.

"I'm here, Carla… It's been a long time and I apologize for my tardiness but watching your son over the years have taken so much of my time and energy so I hope you'll forgive me…"

Thirty-six year old Professor Zoe Hanji-Smith, chief science officer of the Survey Corps and now wife of Commander Erwin Smith, clutched the bouquet of flowers she was holding to her chest. After Wall Maria was retaken and rebuilt as well as re-inhabited again by the citizens, the government had a memorial built to honor the victims who perished when the walls were breached by the titans in 845. Carved upon the nearly three-hundred foot long black marble memorial in bold white letters was the name 'Carla Jaeger' one of the first victims claimed in the titan attacks as well as one of Hanji's dearest friends.

After setting down the bouquet, the professor wrapped her scarf and long brown coat more tightly around herself. It was a cold winter day and the ground was covered with snow as well as the surrounding trees, buildings, and the memorial itself. Normally, loved ones of the victims do not come during the winter months because the snow covered the names carved upon the walls and made them more difficult to find but Hanji, who participated in the memorial's design, knew exactly where to find Carla's name even though this was the first time she was actually able to visit the memorial herself since it was built in spring of 852.

After brushing aside the snow covering Carla's name, Hanji was able to set down the bouquet of flowers and stood up, looking briefly at the blue-grey sky. It was early evening and most people have already gone home from work to be with their families. Very few people were out and about unless they had no choice and Hanji was one of the few who actually chose to be outside of her own free will because she had no idea how long it would be before she had another chance to come pay her respects to her old friend. Looking to the sky, the professor sighed.

"It's cold… but beautiful…" she said to no one in particular except the friend she hoped somewhere could hear her "Just like the night Eren was born. Do you remember, Carla? I can't believe it's been twenty years already, yet I still remember it like it was yesterday. Your son has become such a fine young man and I know you'd be so proud of him; we couldn't have won the war against the titans without his help. The world may see Eren as humanity's savior, but he is so much more to us then just that. I've never seen you happier than you were the night he was born. Do you remember, Carla? I could never forget…"

* * *

Winter, year 835, twenty years ago…

Sixteen year-old Zoe Hanji threw open the door and rushed up the stairs of the Jaegar household as soon as she heard a shrill scream from upstairs. After nine months of anticipation, the long-awaited day had finally come to welcome the first-born child of her mentor and his wife into the world. It was fortunate that Carla's husband was a doctor with experience in delivering babies so that they did not have to trouble themselves with hiring midwives but Doctor Jaeger could still use some assistance in the birth of his first child so he chose his favorite student, Zoe Hanji, to assist him.

"Zoe! You're finally here!" Carla gasped when she saw her young friend throw the door to her room open. She looked like she had already been in labor for at least an hour before the arrival of her husband's student who was struck with a pang of guilt for not being able to make it sooner. The teenage girl bowed her head in apology after she had managed to catch her breath.

"Forgive me, Carla; I would have been here sooner but the snow makes it so difficult to even see, let alone get a ride. I was lucky I found someone willing to bring me here even though he was getting off work!"

"It's alright, Zoe," Doctor Grisha Jaeger said as he turned to her and wiped his brow "We got more important things to worry about now; please, I need your assistance!"

Hanji wasted no time. "Yes, doctor, right away!" she cried as she rushed to her mentor's side. Being so young, the girl had never experienced labor herself but heard that it was painful and seeing the agonized expression on her friend's face made Hanji worry not only for her life but also the life of the baby she was carrying as well. Wanting to help in any way she could, Hanji allowed Carla to take her hand and did not flinch when she felt the older woman's nails cutting into the flesh of her hand, hard enough to draw blood.

"Ok, Carla, we're doing everything we can to help you but we're going to need you to help us as well. Now push!" Doctor Jaeger instructed as he tried to keep his own emotions in check. Being a doctor, Grisha Jaeger had delivered countless babies before, including the new daughter of his friends, the Ackermans, only two months prior. But this time, however, he felt much more anxiety because it was his own wife in labor as well as his own child he was trying to deliver and it would be a cruel irony if he were to lose them both. Sensing his thoughts, Hanji silently patted her mentor's arm to let him know that she would do anything and everything she could to help him keep that from happening.

Grateful for his student's assurance, the doctor smiled and calmed down a bit. "Thank you, Zoe… we can do this so let's get to work!"

"Yes, sir!"

After another hour of difficult labor and nerve-wracking anxiety to all involved, they finally heard the heard the loud cries of a healthy newborn baby fill the air and Carla was finally able to catch her breath and relax as her husband took their new infant son in his arms. Excited, Hanji looked over his shoulder to see that it was a robust baby boy with the most beautiful turquoise eyes she had ever seen.

"Oh, congratulations, it's a boy! I'm so happy for you both!" she squealed.

Doctor Jaeger smiled as he leaned over and kissed his student on the cheek. "We couldn't have done it without your help, Zoe. Thank you so much…"

Hanji blushed. "You've both been so good to me, it was the least I can do…" she said shyly "May I hold him?"

The doctor turned to his wife who smiled and nodded her approval before he finally handed his newborn son to his student who gently took him in her arms and stood up.

"He's so beautiful…and his eyes are unlike any I've ever seen before. Who could he have gotten them from since both of you have hazel eyes?" Hanji asked curiously.

"Perhaps from my parents" Carla answered. "My mother's eyes were blue and my father's was green."

"True" Doctor Jaeger agreed. "Genes have been known to skip generations."

"I see…interesting. Anyway, have you decided on a name for him yet?"

"Let's see… what name do you think would suit him best, Zoe?"

Hanji raised an eyebrow "Are you asking for my opinion?"

Carla chuckled "Why not? You're as good as family to us."

"Well…I thought you already had a name in mind for him since he is your son. But since you did ask, I feel that he will be a very strong person one day so I think that Eren may suit him best. It is ancient Hebrew for 'strength'."

Doctor Jaeger smiled. "You're very well learned, Zoe. Yes, I also agree that Eren would be the perfect name for him, Eren Jaeger. What do you think, Carla?"

His wife gave a soft laugh, secretly glad that her husband's student saved her the trouble of deciding on a name for her new son as she often had trouble making up her mind about such things.

"I love it. So Eren it is then. And thank you again, Zoe."

The teenage girl shook her head. "No, thank you for letting me be a part of this. I don't know why but I feel like your son will do great things one day" Hanji said as she smiled and gently rocked the newborn one more time before handing him back to his father.

As Doctor Grisha Jaeger took his son in arms once more, he said, "I feel the same way too, Zoe." Looking Eren in the eyes, he smiled, his voice dropping to a whisper as the baby cooed and made gurgling sounds. "You have much to offer the world, my son, and so much potential too. You will be perfect, humanity's finest and greatest hope against them…"

Though the doctor's final words were no more than a whisper, meant for his son's ears only, Hanji's senses were sharper than he thought and she did hear what he had said to Eren but out of respect for her mentor, never mentioned it to anyone. Neither did she truly understand the meaning of those words until she saw the baby's greatest secret revealed years later…

* * *

Spring, year 838, three years later…

"Are you sure this is what you want, Zoe?"

Nineteen year-old Zoe Hanji turned to face her mentor and his wife. She was clad in the uniform and green cloak of the Survey Corps and preparing to go on her very first expedition beyond the walls. There was a large crowd of people gathered at the gates of Wall Maria to see their loved ones in the service off and today was the most exciting day of her life yet she could not help but be disappointed that her dear friends, the Jaegers, did not seem to share in her enthusiasm. Joining the Survey Corps was what she had always dreamed of because they were permitted to leave the walls while ordinary citizens were not, even if it was for the purpose of fighting and studying the dreaded titans. It was the only way the young woman could put the knowledge that her mentor had given her to good use and she thought that he of all people, would be happy for her, but Doctor Jaeger could not help but worry because this was not what he had in mind for Hanji when he took her in as his student.

Trying to put her friends at ease, Hanji merely smiled and said "Please don't worry about me, you two, I am more than capable of taking care of myself. The commander is an excellent leader who only has the best interests of his soldiers and the people at heart and I trust him with my life. I also feel that this is something I have to do otherwise, how else will humanity ever hope to leave these walls? We can't very well stay behind them forever."

Doctor Jaeger sighed sadly as he took his young student in a gentle embrace. Being a former science officer of the Survey Corps himself, he knew all too well how dangerous it was beyond the walls and had always hoped that Hanji would become a teacher instead of pursuing the last career he wanted for her but at the same time, he knew she was right. As long as humans remained ignorant of the titans, they could never leave the walls and re-inhabit the world outside. "I understand, Zoe…" he said. "I believe the same as you but I still feel like it should be me shouldering the burden of the corps' science duties, not you…"

Hanji shook her head and she gently let go of her mentor. "No, doctor, you have a family now and your place is here with them…"

"We understand", Carla said "Follow your heart and do what you feel you must. But please be careful as Eren would be very sad if something were to happen to you…"

Hanji frowned as she looked upon the three-year old little boy that Carla was holding in her arms, the boy that brought just as much joy and laughter to her life as he did to his parents' from the day he was born. "Of course, Carla, I promise. May I say good-bye to little Eren, please?"

Carla nodded her consent as she silently handed her young son over to her friend. As Hanji took the little boy in her arms, she smiled and ruffled his soft brown hair. "Good-bye, Eren…" she whispered in the child's ear "It's been fun but I must leave you for now. Be a good little boy and mind your parents, ok?"

Although the child was too young to understand everything she said, he could still sense that his playmate for the last three years was about the leave him and frowned.

"Don't go, Zoe, I be sad…" the boy sniffed.

Upon hearing that, Hanji felt her heart sink but she knew she had a duty to fulfill and that the boy would eventually get over it. After all, Eren was one of the reasons she joined the Survey Corps so that he and other children like him will one day be able to experience and enjoy the world beyond the walls. But she had to admit that she was going to miss the little tyke terribly.

"Shhh…" Hanji cooed "This isn't going to be good-bye forever. I promise I'll be back before you know it and play with you again!"

Upon hearing her promise, little Eren's eyes brightened and he smiled. "Really? Promise?"

"Yes, I promise…" Hanji assured as she bent down to kiss his forehead.

"Hold that pose!" she heard a voice call and before Hanji knew what happened, a bright flash blinded her for a moment before subsiding and saw a middle-aged man approach her with a camera in his hand and a photo.

"What was that all about?" she demanded, not appreciating what he had done.

The man bowed his head in apology. "Forgive me, Miss. It's just that you looked so cute holding the child that I couldn't resist taking a picture. Would you like to see it? As an apology for not warning you, I'll let you have it for free."

Hanji turned to the Jaegers and Carla nodded before taking the photo from the cameraman. When she and her husband saw the photo, they could not help but laugh. He was right: Hanji did look cute holding their young son like that and Carla showed her friend the photo. Upon seeing it, the young woman's irritation subsided and she found herself smiling as well before handing Eren back to his parents.

As Doctor Jaeger took back his son, he could not help but smile at the effect his student had on Eren and vice versa. As he was their only child, the boy thought of Hanji as a big sister and his best friend. "Would you like to keep the photo to remember him by?" he asked her.

"Yes, I would like that, thank you," Hanji answered as her mentor handed the photo to her. "I will miss Eren…and you…" she told her friends as she placed the photo in her pocket "But I promise I'll be back with stories to tell, just like the one you told me, doctor."

"I'm sure you will", Carla said. "Take care, Zoe; we have faith in you and look forward to seeing you again as Eren does."

"Thank you…all of you. I look forward to seeing you again too. Good-bye and take care…" Hanji said as she mounted her horse and prepared to join her comrades. Before leaving the walls, the young woman turned and waved her final good-bye to the couple who had been so good to her for the past four years as well as their young son and thought about how much she was going to miss them as she was closer to them than she ever was to her own blood relatives, especially Eren since she never had any siblings of her own. She did promise that she would be back soon, especially for Eren, and Zoe Hanji always tried her best to keep her promises.

Unfortunately, it would be almost thirteen years before she saw that little boy again…

* * *

Fall, year 850, twelve years later…

Thirty-one year old Professor Zoe Hanji looked down from a balcony of the Military Tribunal courtroom at the dark-haired young man who was being chained to a post like an animal and forced to kneel like a slave while being tried for his life. Though she had not seen him in over a decade, she knew right away who he was. He was Eren Jaeger, the only son of her mentor, the little boy whose birth she witnessed and with whom she used to play with until she left to join the Survey Corps in the spring of 838. Hanji knew it had been so long since she last saw him that it was unlikely the youth would be able to remember her or the promise she was unable to keep to him. Still, the boy was of great interest to her, especially when she learned of his titan-shifting abilities that she knew his father must have had something to do with as well as still being dear to her personally.

So it is you, Eren. I never thought I would see you again. I wish I could have kept my promise to you but so much has happened since that day I didn't even have time to write, let alone visit...

Hanji remained silent throughout the trial and let her commander do all the talking on behalf of the Survey Corps' interest in obtaining custody of Eren. In truth, Commander Smith was unsure at first if letting the youth join was a good idea since his powers appeared unstable but the professor had managed to convince him the day before the tribunal that with proper guidance and supervision, Eren's powers could be controlled and used to humanity's advantage in the war against the titans. Her arguments also piqued the interest of Corporal Levi in the boy as well. Hanji was grateful that she had managed to convince her superiors but convincing the rest of the court would be much more difficult. Still, she was willing to try anything to save Eren's life.

Unfortunately, the professor never got a chance to test her diplomacy skills for the corporal already realized that the Military Police was bent on killing the youth and no amount of arguing would convince them otherwise so before she or anyone could say a word after Eren's outburst, Levi quickly started to beat the boy down in front of the whole court to everyone's horror, Hanji's included. Even though she knew the corporal was doing the only thing he could think of to prove that Eren was truly on the side of humans, she could not help but be appalled by the way he chose to protect the boy and force herself to remain silent and appear indifferent as her commander. After Eren finally passed out, Hanji quickly ordered a few of her squad members to unchain and carry him to the nearest infirmary for treatment before he developed any permanent damage; she obviously didn't want the boy's suffering to be for nothing and could not help but shoot Levi a disapproving glare before leaving the courtroom to tend to the now unconscious Eren Jaeger.

Over the next five days, Hanji monitored the boy's recovery progress as he laid unconscious but alive on his hospital bed and found to her amazement and relief that he was recovering at a phenomenal rate with little effort on her part. As the hours and days passed, she noticed that Eren's broken bones were able to set themselves back into place and mend without splinters and that the cuts and bruises on his body healed just as fast and without leaving any scars on his skin. On the second day after Eren's arrival at the hospital, Hanji received an unexpected visit from the very man who sent him there.

"How is he?" the corporal asked coolly as he quietly made his way into the small room after Hanji opened the door for him. Although she was sorely tempted to slam it in his face, she resisted the urge and allowed him in.

"Eren is fine… no thanks to you…" the professor answered coldly.

Levi sighed "I don't expect you to be thrilled but it was the only way to save him and we both know it."

"Perhaps… but you could've at least held back a little since I doubt he'll be of any use to us if he gets brain-damaged!"

The corporal regarded his comrade curiously. "You seem quite attached to the boy, professor. Is there something you're not telling me?"

"I don't need to be attached to him or anyone to be appalled at what you've done! For God's sake, he's only a child!"

 _A child that can make or break humanity's chances against the titans..._ Levi thought but held his tongue. He came here to check up on Eren and getting into an argument with his caretaker was not what he or the boy himself needed.

"Perhaps I might have overdone it a little but at least his life was spared."

"I doubt he will see it that way for a while, sir, but I suppose what's done is done. And if you don't mind my asking, aren't there more important matters that require your attention right now? If you're concerned about the boy escaping, you need not be; I can assure you he isn't going anywhere."

Hearing the contempt in Hanji's voice made Levi realize that he wasn't exactly welcomed here so resigning himself to his defeat, he sighed and said "I suppose you're right, professor, I do have work to do so I'll be going now. Please do me a favor and let me know if there are any changes in Eren's condition."

"I will. Have a good day, sir."

* * *

Winter, year 855, present day

Hanji wiped a tear from her eye as she looked up towards the cold winter sky. Since the day she had been reunited with Eren, she had done everything in her power to protect the boy and help him gain full control of his powers as well as improve his relationship with Mikasa who was now his fiancé, often even risking her job to do so. Hanji was also grateful that she was even able to briefly reunite with her old mentor before his death and promised him she would continue to look out for Eren and be there for him, eventually revealing to the boy her history with his family and knowledge of his powers when he accidentally discovered the photo of her holding him as a child before she left on her first mission as a member of the Survey Corps in 838.

"The road has been long and hard for all of us, but especially for Eren. But despite the hardships he endured from the titans and our own people, he persevered and now his name is known throughout the world. It looks like we named him well for Eren Jaeger is now the epitome of 'strength'. Thank you for allowing me the honor of naming your son, Carla. Until we meet again, rest in peace, my friend. With your husband and love…"

As Professor Hanji-Smith prepared to leave the memorial and head home, the wind picked up slightly and she wasn't sure if she imagined it but thought she could hear a familiar voice calling out to her.

_Thank you, Zoe…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So what do you think of this installment? So far, it's a bit different from my other fics with the constant flashbacks so I hope my readers didn't have too much difficulty telling what happened and when. I thought it would be fun to experiment with the idea of Hanji having a history with the Jaeger family that could have been canon. I tried looking up the meaning of the name 'Eren' and could not find it directly, but did find another name pronounced exactly the same only spelled different, 'Aaron' which is Hebrew in origin for 'mountain of strength' and I thought it suited Eren very well. I also thought about writing a more detailed fic of Eren discovering the photo of himself and Hanji while cleaning out her desk and that is when she reveals what she really knows about him and his powers. If I can pull it off, I'll include it in my saga also.


	13. Truth and Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan). I write this for your enjoyment only. After I read chapter 52 of the manga, I have decided that this would be the best time to have Hanji reveal to Eren her ties to his family as well as how much she really knows about his powers. This will be the first fic I write that is manga-based because the second season of the anime has not been released yet; it takes place when Levi and Hanji takes Eren, Krista and the rest of the 104th Squad survivors into hiding and a little bit after Krista reveals her past to everyone. I do not recommend reading this if you have not read the manga up to chapter 52 because it will contain some spoilers. However, for those who have read the manga, I also recommend reading my earlier installments "What He Really Is" and "A Secret History Revealed" in order to better understand this story.

It had been almost half a week since Corporal Levi and Professor Hanji, as well as the rest of the 104th Squad survivors went into hiding at an abandoned house out in the countryside, mostly to hide Eren and Krista until they can decide on their next move to retake Wall Maria as well as recover from the hectic events of the last few days. As if discovering that their former comrades Ymir, Reiner, and Bertolt were also titan-shifters themselves wasn't shocking enough, the party also discovered that another member of their squad, Krista Lenz, was more than she appeared to be as well; the petite blond girl was actually an illegitimate daughter of the noble Reiss family who Pastor Nick revealed to Hanji, held the secret to the true origins and nature of the titans. After hearing Krista's story, it was unlikely that anyone would be getting much sleep that night but they still had to retire and try to get some rest because they knew they had a long road ahead of them in the days and weeks ahead.

After discovering Eren's ability to manipulate other titans with his mind, Zoe Hanji knew that the time was drawing near when she must reveal to Eren her own history with his family as well as her knowledge of his powers; there was simply no avoiding it. And while she had always intended to tell the boy eventually, the professor wanted to wait until the timing was just right but no matter how she looked at it, no time would ever be convenient as long as she could not provide all the answers to the questions she knew Eren would ask.

Unfortunately, the choice was taken out of her hands and sooner than she expected. That night, Eren volunteered to move Hanji's experimenting equipment as well as personal belongings into what was to be her temporary room while the professor herself helped Levi and the others clean up after dinner. As he was carrying one of her heavy bags into the room, it slipped out of his hands and burst open after landing hard on the floor. Not wanting Hanji to know of his blunder, Eren quickly got onto his knees to retrieve her things and put them back inside the bag when a photograph caught his eye. Curious, the youth picked it up and held it closer to the light so he could get a better look at it. It appeared to be a picture of the professor from her younger days holding a small child, no more than three years old, in her arms. Upon closer inspection, Eren's eyes widened when he saw that the little boy Hanji was holding had dark brown hair and turquoise eyes exactly like his own.

_No, it cannot be…_

But it was. There was no way Eren could dismiss the child as anyone but himself with the unmistakable faces of his parents in the background. Turning the picture over, Eren looked at the date which was written April 20th, 838- about thirteen years ago. What was the meaning of this? As Eren pondered the thought, memories from his early childhood that he had subconsciously suppressed started to surface, vague memories of a young girl with auburn hair and honey-colored eyes whom he used to play with long before he met Mikasa, a girl who would be the same age Professor Zoe Hanji was now. Eren always thought it strange how she seemed to know a lot about him as well as his powers while he barely knew anything about her and wondered if this could be the reason. But if so, why did Hanji not see it fit to tell him of her ties with his family as well as why his own parents never told him about her? A thousand other questions raced through the youth's mind but he knew he would have to wait until he could find some time alone with the professor before asking her for the truth.

Later that night after everyone had retired for the evening, Hanji heard a knock at her door. She had just finished putting some of her things into a wooden desk that the previous resident of the house left behind which would definitely be convenient for analyzing the results of the experiments she planned to perform on Eren in the days ahead. Curious as to who would see her at such a late hour since it was almost midnight, the professor called out softly.

"Yes? Who is it?"

In answer, she heard a soft boyish voice call out from the other side of the door. "It's me, Eren. May I come in, professor?"

"Yes, you may."

As soon as she gave her permission to enter, Hanji saw the door to her room open slowly and Eren walking in quietly to avoid disturbing the others who may already be asleep. As soon as she saw the boy close the door behind him, the professor smiled and greeted him.

"Yes, Eren? What can I do for you?"

In answer, the youth approached her desk before reaching into the front pocket of his shirt, pulled out a photograph, and handed it to her.

"Professor…Zoe… can you please explain this to me?" he asked quietly.

Upon taking the picture from Eren and looking at it, Hanji sighed. She knew the time had finally come and that there was no putting it off any longer. Taking a seat behind her desk, she made a gesture for Eren to take a chair and do the same.

"Please have a seat, Eren. This could take a while."

"I've got time" the youth replied as he took a chair and sat on the opposite side of the desk.

After both Hanji and Eren were seated, the professor took another look at the boy in the photograph before looking at the handsome young man before her and smiled sadly. "I haven't seen this picture in a long time even though I've kept it near me all these years…"

"It fell out of one of your bags when I accidentally dropped it on the floor. I didn't mean to pry or go through your things but couldn't ignore this photograph, especially if I'm the one in it. At first, I thought the child you were holding was someone else until I saw my parents in the background."

"You are correct, Eren. That was you in my arms when you were only three years old. It was taken by a photographer who just happened to be in the crowd the day I said my goodbyes to you and your parents before leaving on my first expedition beyond the walls. I was nineteen years old at the time."

"You knew me even then?"

Hanji let out a soft laugh. "Know you, Eren? I _named_ you!"

Eren stared at the professor in shock. "What do you mean? Are you saying that you knew my parents before I was born? What was your relationship to them? And why did you not ever tell me?"

The professor took a deep breath and pushed her glasses further up her nose. It looked like she had a lot of explaining to do so she felt it might be best to start from the beginning. "Eren, I've always intended to tell you but I wanted to wait until the timing was just right. Like you, it was also a childhood dream of mine to join the Survey Corps but when I was your age, they were much more picky about who they chose to be soldiers, especially those of the science department which I wanted to join. I had to go to a military academy if I wanted to become a science officer but my family could not afford it. Money was such a problem that I almost gave up until I looked at the papers one day and saw an ad that your father, Dr. Jaeger, put up stating that he was looking for an assistant to help him with his work and studies. I thought it would be a good opportunity to earn the money I needed for school so I answered his ad right away."

Eren leaned a little closer as he folded his arms on the desk, his interest piqued. "Go on."

"When I arrived at your house with the ad in my hand, your father answered the door and was surprised to see that of all the people in Shiganshina, I was the only one who was interested in his job offer since he had been trying for months without success to find an assistant, at least one who could meet his expectations. He hesitated to hire me at first because I was so young, only fifteen, but I told him that I really needed the job and that he could trust me to be a hard worker so he gave in. At first, he only had me assist him in his work but after realizing how much potential I had, made me his student as well which thrilled me because I learned far more from your father than I ever would have at the academy. I know because I beat all other candidates for the position of the Survey Corps' chief science officer when I was only twenty-one years old; that was how well your father taught me."

Eren held his breath in awe. "My father must have been an amazing teacher if you were able to do that."

Hanji smiled. "He was more to me than just a teacher, Eren. He was also a very dear friend as was your mother. I became closer to your parents than I ever was to my own blood relatives. Your father trusted me so much that he asked me to assist him in your birth a year after I became his student. It was one of the most exciting as well as frightening experiences of my life. For your mother, labor was long and difficult and we feared that we might lose both her and you but luck was on our side that night and you were born healthy and kicking. I've never seen your mother happier than she was the night you were born."

Eren frowned at the mention of his late mother whom he still missed terribly even after nearly six years since her tragic death. He knew he would always regret that their last moments together was spent arguing over her objection to him joining the Survey Corps which he was now ironically stuck with permanently whether he wanted it or not.

Sensing his sadness, Hanji gently took Eren's hand in her own and upon closer observation of the professor's skin, the boy noticed a few crescent-shaped scars which he knew to be caused by his mother while she was trying to give birth to him.

"I'm sorry…" he apologized quietly. "I've been so much trouble for everyone since the day I was born."

Hanji shook her head as she released the boy's hand. "That's not true, Eren", she said gently "You've brought us nothing but joy since you came into this world. I don't know if you remember, but before I enlisted, I used to come over and help your mother care for you as well as assisting your father in his experiments and other work. I always thought of you as my little brother since I never had any siblings of my own. Before leaving for my first expedition, I promised you that I would be back to see you and your parents but regret that I was not able to keep that promise because my duties have kept me so busy over the years. When Wall Maria fell and your mother perished, I thought you did as well until I heard about a young soldier in the 104th Squad fitting your description that could shape-shift into a titan. I also realized that it could only be the work of your father since he was the only person I knew of who could give you such a power."

"I see… I never told anyone but shortly after my very first transformation, I started to have vague memories and dreams about my father performing experiments on me more frequently. I've had them before but they were usually few and far in between and whenever I brought it up to my parents, my father always insisted that they were only bad dreams and nothing more."

"Of course he had to say that because he didn't want your mother to know since she would have never allowed it if she did. He also didn't want to frighten you because you were too young to understand what he was trying to do then but now that you're old enough, I will tell you the truth: your father has groomed you to be humanity's greatest weapon in the war against the titans-from the moment of your birth."

"But why me? Surely there must have been others much more suited for this power. Did he do it because he had no other volunteers or because he thought I would simply go along with it because I was his son?"

"I really wish I could answer that, Eren. But I'm afraid the only person who can is your father himself and he has not been seen since Wall Maria fell. I have read and checked the casualty reports many times over the years but was never able to find anything that could tell me what became of him. Many believed he perished in the attack when the wall was breached but no one actually saw him killed and his body was never found so his death remains unconfirmed and he could only be reported as missing. And unfortunately, I could not find even one person who had seen him last."

Eren rested his chin in his hand in silent thought as he contemplated this. "Now that you mentioned it, I can't even remember when I saw my father last" he admitted.

"Yes, well that doesn't surprise me. I came to the conclusion that your father's experiments have likely damaged and distorted your memories which also explains why you didn't know about your titan-shifting powers until you were nearly killed at the Battle of Trost."

"I see. Yes, that would explain a lot but there's still so much more I want to know but will probably never be able to now that my father is gone."

Hanji shook her head. "I believe your father is alive, Eren."

"And what makes you think that, Zoe?"

"Like I said, there has been no proof of his death. If your father is alive, not only can he answer your questions, he may also be able to tell us how to defeat the titans for good."

"Will you help me find him if he is?"

"Of course I will; I have many questions for him as well. But we can't find him if we don't even know where to start looking; I believe the answer lies within the basement of your old house and before we can get there, we must first take back Wall Maria which is why I need to experiment with your powers a bit more so I can find a sure way of making that possible. Do you understand, Eren?"

"Yes, I do. Does anyone else know of your ties with my family?"

"Only Mikasa whom I told while you were still recovering from your battle with Annie. But please don't be upset with her because I made her promise not to tell you since I felt it would be better for you to hear it from me."

"I see… but one other thing I don't understand is why my own parents never told me about you?"

"Well, from what I remembered, you look quite sad when I left you all those years ago since you became quite attached to me as a child. Your parents knew this as well and since they had no way of knowing if I would ever return alive, they probably felt it best if you simply forgot about me."

"I understand and thank you for telling me the truth. I apologize for coming to you at such a late hour and am sure you must be tired so I'll be going now. Have a good night, Zoe."

"You need not apologize; you do have the right to know. I'm only sorry I couldn't bring myself to tell you sooner. Don't worry, I may not be as good as your father but I will keep doing my best to help you control your powers. Good night, Eren; I hope to find you in better spirits tomorrow."

"Thank you, Zoe, I appreciate it. Good night."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ok, so now Hanji finally reveals the truth. I think that this would be the best time for her to tell Eren since he has matured a lot and would likely not get upset at her for keeping the truth from him as he might have if she had told him sooner. And since Hanji seems so reluctant to tell Eren, I felt she needed a push by having Eren accidentally discover the photo of them and question her about it. Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this installment and please review!


	14. What a Warrior Fears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) I write this for your enjoyment only. This story takes place shortly after my previous installment 'Truth and Revelations' in which Eren learns about the origins of his powers from Professor Hanji, his father's former student, who kept it hidden from him since they became reunited after his trial in episode 14 of the anime. Since the anime has not continued yet, any installments I make after episode 25 will be based solely on the manga as well as my speculation on future events beyond chapter 56.

Eren gave out an exasperated sigh as he shot up from his bed while trying his hardest not to cry out in frustration for fear of waking his sleeping superiors and comrades. He was alone in his room at the hidden countryside house where he, Mikasa, and the rest of Levi's new squad as well as the professor, was staying. It had been a few days since Hanji revealed the origins of his titan powers to him as well as her past ties with his family. She insisted that it was necessary for her to conduct some experiments on him to find other abilities he may have before they can attempt to take back Wall Maria and the youth willingly went along with it because it was also necessary to find whatever it was his father had hidden in the basement of his old house. Not only was it the key to turning the tide of the war, it may also yield clues as to the whereabouts of Dr. Jaeger himself if he was alive which Eren now had reason to believe he was.

Looking at the clock on his wall, the youth saw that it about three in the morning, about five hours to the time the corporal and professor expected him and the others to be awake so that Hanji can continue her experiments while his comrades assisted her. So far, they have not discovered much; the one thing the professor wanted him to do most, which was to harden his skin the way Annie as a titan had done it, had been unsuccessful for try as he might, Eren simply could not replicate it and Hanji came to the conclusion that titan powers may vary from one individual shifter to another. The good news, if it could be called that, was that while Eren could not harden his skin like Annie, he did have the power to manipulate the thoughts and actions of other titans with his mind which could prove to be a far more useful ability so long as he could control it.

Unable to go back to sleep, Eren got up and put on his night robe before heading out to the front porch of the house for some fresh air, hoping that a little time beneath the stars would help him relax enough to fall asleep again. After stepping outside and quietly closing the door behind him, the youth placed his hands on the rail of the porch and gazed up at the night sky at the moon and stars. He knew that even more power-hungry people will come after him once it becomes known that he possessed psychic abilities to control other titans as well as being able to shape-shift into one himself and it wasn't a matter of 'if' but 'when'. There was no way his newly discovered abilities could be kept a secret for long after so many people had witnessed it; his superiors and comrades were not the only ones who had noticed when he unleashed them for the first time. But that knowledge wasn't what disturbed Eren the most.

It was what he discovered about his former comrades, Bertholdt, Reiner, and Ymir.

Until they revealed their own shape-shifting abilities to him as well as the others, Eren believed that he was the only titan-shifter in existence. Ymir had kept her secret well-hidden until circumstances had forced her to transform to protect Krista and the others from being devoured. As for Bertholdt and Reiner, Eren did not discover their secret until they attempted to abduct him along with Ymir. He was shocked to find out that not only were they titan-shifters like Annie, Ymir and himself, they were also the very ones responsible for the fall of Wall Maria five years prior. Never could he have guessed that the ones who had caused him so much grief had been the very ones he trained and fought alongside with all along. And while they never told him the reason for their actions, Eren knew that his psychic abilities was one of the reasons they, as well as Annie, had taken so much trouble to abduct him knowing that he would not go quietly and willingly which he didn't; he would never again trust Bertholdt and Reiner now that he knew they caused the death of his mother.

And neither would he ever forgive them.

"Eren?"

The youth was snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of a soft, feminine voice behind him. Turning around, he saw his foster sister, now his lover, awake and dressed in a night robe like he was, looking at him with curious blue-grey eyes.

"Mikasa? Why are you up?"

"I was about to ask the same of you. Are you having trouble sleeping?" she asked as she approached Eren and gently took his hand in her own.

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't. But yes, I am having a hard time going back to sleep which might be troublesome since we have to be up in five hours."

Mikasa frowned. "Are you thinking about what the professor told you? About your powers and the fact that she knew your parents?"

Eren sighed. "Well, yes. But that is not the only thing…"

He did not elaborate further but Mikasa knew her lover well enough to know what he was thinking. "You're thinking about them, aren't you?"

Eren was silent a moment before answering. "If you're talking about our ex-comrades, then yes."

"What is it about them that bothers you most? The fact that they're also titan-shifters like yourself or that they, your worst enemies, had been by your side all along?"

"I find both of these facts disturbing as well as the fact that I don't know their reasons for siding with the titans against us, against their own kind."

"Do you think it possible that they were never human to begin with? That they were born titan-shifters?"

The youth pondered his lover's words. What she suggested wasn't impossible. While his own titan powers were the result of his father's experiments, there was no guarantee that all titan-shifters were made the way he was; it was possible some could have been born with the ability.

"I'm not sure. If they were born titan-shifters, then that would explain their actions a lot."

"But that isn't what bothers you the most."

Eren shook his head. Again, Mikasa was correct. Not only did he fear the possibility of his titan-shifting powers corrupting him like his ex-comrades, he also feared the possibility of them extending his lifespan beyond that of a normal human. He never thought about it until he discovered that Ymir was not as young as she looked; she appeared no older than a young woman of eighteen, yet she had be alive for over six decades, possibly longer. It was also possible that Annie, Bertholdt, and Reiner were older then they appeared as well. Would he also be doomed to the same fate? To watch those he loved and cared for age and die while he lived on, youthful and unchanging, for decades, even centuries to come?

"Mikasa…" he began as he gently took her lovely face in his hand, brushing his thumb down her cheek to her soft lips while trying his best not to let the tears that threaten to spill from his beautiful turquoise eyes fall "I can't lie to you. I am afraid, but not in the way that you think. I know that more people will come after me once my new power becomes known and while I don't want to spend my whole life being used as a weapon, I don't fear it, or even dying, as much as I fear losing you; I fear that even if I don't lose you to war, I might lose you to _time._ "

Mikasa sighed. She knew all too well what Eren meant and understood his fear. She knew that what true warriors feared most wasn't dying, but living without those they held dear to their heart for she felt the same way as well. Since the day he saved her when they were children, Mikasa had devoted her whole life to Eren and wanted nothing more than to spend it by his side. Because she loved him, she could feel his fear and anguish like they were her very own for Mikasa knew that Eren did not choose his fate as humanity's greatest hope and protector- his father chose for him. And because of that, the good doctor had much to answer for when and if they found him- he owed his son that much at least.

Taking her love in her arms, Mikasa gently stroked his soft brown hair in a gesture of comfort. "Shh… please don't think like that, Eren. There are many things we don't know for certain; the future is not set in stone. You are not Ymir, or Annie. And neither are you Bertholdt or Reiner. Until we find all the answers, please don't lose hope."

Eren slowly took in Mikasa's words as he allowed himself to relax in her embrace. Since their first night together as lovers, he found himself more easily pacified when she spoke to him like that. Mikasa was right, he must not allow himself to despair and lose hope, especially not on unproven assumptions based upon the little he knew about other titan-shifters.

"You're right, Mika. There's still much we don't know yet. And until we do, I'll not lose hope. Thank you for telling me that, I feel so much better."

Mikasa smiled as she leaned forward and kissed her handsome lover. "You're welcome" she whispered. "Now come back to bed; the corporal and professor will not be happy if we end up oversleeping tomorrow", she said with a wink.

Eren laughed softly as he gently let Mikasa go and allowed her to lead him back into the house. "Yes, you're right. I think I should have no problem sleeping now. Let's head back."

Within moments of returning to bed, Eren fell asleep with a renewed sense of hope as his lover's words echoed in his mind.

_The future is not set in stone so don't lose hope…_

And he won't. Not ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ok, I'm finally back. To my readers, I apologize for the long wait; I have been crazy busy with work and stuck with writer's block for the longest time. While I try my best, I can only update when an idea comes to me. Since this is a collection of short stories, I plan for it to be an ongoing project that will continue as long as I can come up with ideas. Like I said before, I welcome suggestions and will consider all requests that are workable so please don't hesitate to ask! See you next chapter! ;)


	15. A Corporal Remembered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan). I write this story for your enjoyment only. It is supposed to take place many years after the end of the series and is purely my speculation on the aftermath because I do not yet know how the anime/manga will end. I have read the manga up to chapter 56 and write this story based upon what I have learned from it. For those of you who have not read the manga up to chapter 55, this installment may contain spoilers because chapter 55-56 reveals surprising facts about Krista and Levi. I repeat, if you don't want spoilers, I suggest you not read any further.

Fall, year 870

"Hey, Eren, wait up! There's no need to rush since I don't think our former heichou is going anywhere!"

Thirty-five year old Eren Jaeger, 14th commander of the Survey Corps and successor to Erwin Smith, stopped in his tracks and turned to see his wife of ten years trying to catch her breath as she attempted to match his pace. He was in such deep thought that he failed to notice how fast he was walking and Mikasa quickly falling behind. Normally, she would have no trouble keeping up with him but being almost five months pregnant with their third child has made her a bit sluggish and quick to tire and Eren silently cursed himself for his inconsiderence. Turning around, he walked back to Mikasa and gently took her arm as he slowed his pace to her comfort level until they both reached their intended destination.

After a few more minutes of walking, the young couple stopped in front of a simple grave they visited every year on the anniversary of their former superior's death. Never having cared much for extravagance due to his contempt for greedy and corrupt merchants and government officials, Levi insisted upon his deathbed that his grave be kept simple and his friends honored his wish. Before his death, the corporal also requested that his true name be carved upon his grave instead of the alias he had used since joining the Survey Corps a year before the fall of Wall Maria.

"I can't believe it's been almost fifteen years since he's left us", Eren said sadly as he stepped closer and placed the flowers he had been holding on top of the simple grave. Mikasa nodded as she followed her husband's gaze upon the words carved into the white marble:

_In Loving Memory and Honor_

_Levi Ackerman_

_820-856_

_13th Corporal of the Survey Corps_

_True Friend, Unforgettable Leader_

"You missed him, don't you?" Mikasa asked. Years ago, it would have been a ridiculous question considering that their relationship with their former superior got off to a rocky start. While Levi was admired and revered by his subordinates and the public as an excellent soldier and commander, he was also despised and feared by them as a man. Only those closest to the corporal could even begin to understand what kind of man Levi truly was. As they got to know him better, both Eren and Mikasa found that there was definitely more to him than meets the eye. They had heard bits and rumors about his past from Commander Smith and Professor Hanji; before he joined the Survey Corps, Levi was thug and gang-banger but a very skilled and talented warrior second only to the commander himself. His cold demeanor became more understandable when they learned of the hard life he used to lead, having been sold into slavery himself as a child. They were also shocked when they later discovered that the corporal was actually Mikasa's uncle, being the younger half-brother of her father whom he was separated from when they were children.

"Of course, I do. Don't you? He was your uncle, after all. I find it hard to believe that I never really noticed how alike you two were until we found out."

"Believe it or not, you weren't the only one who failed to notice", she said dryly. With the war going on around them, no one could guess a possible blood relation or even notice the physical resemblance between Levi and Mikasa, the most obvious likeness being their hair and eye color as well as the shape of their mouths and noses; not even the astute and observant Professor Zoe Hanji, who spent a great deal of time with them both, ever saw it.

"I've always wondered why he didn't tell us when he knew all along you were his niece. And why your own father never told you about _him_.

"Heichou had already explained it to me; while the name 'Ackerman' is not terribly uncommon, he still felt it best to keep our blood relation a secret to protect me because he knew he had a lot of enemies and did not want to put me in danger. As for my father, he once mentioned having a younger brother who was kidnapped as a child but never told me his name or what he was like. Why? I will never know."

Eren was silent. His wife did have a point. Levi may have been a man of few words but he was very protective of those he cared about, related or not. Hanji was right about Eren being grateful to the corporal even though he as well as Mikasa had had very hard feelings towards the man at first. Over time, they warmed up to him after he had saved both of their lives more than once. When others noticed and questioned his protectiveness of them, which seemed to go beyond duty, especially Erwin and Hanji, Levi would say nothing more that he was simply 'concerned' for them the way he would be for any of his squad members. And while others may believe him to be a cold and callous commander who thought of his subordinates as nothing more than expendable pawns, Eren and Mikasa themselves knew better. They knew that their superior had sacrificed much for them, even going so far as to abandon the lifeless bodies of the soldiers who served him loyally, in order to ensure their survival. Not only did his decision make the families of the fallen soldiers angry at him for years, it also haunted the corporal for the remainder of his days for among the bodies that were lost was that of the woman he loved, Petra Ral.

"You're right" Eren agreed "I should have known he would try to protect you like that."

"He protected you too."

"I know…but at such a tremendous cost…"

Mikasa frowned. Even after all these years, even after Levi himself told Eren he did not fault him for the loss of his elite squad members, her husband still bore their deaths on his conscience for he knew they had died protecting him under Levi's orders, especially Petra; the golden-eyed young woman still held a special place in his heart, second only to Mikasa, because out of Levi's entire squad, she treated him with the most compassion and understanding as well as being the first one to apologize when she turned on him out of fear upon witnessing his accidental titan transformation.

His wife seemed to have read his mind. She had met and known Petra only briefly after she and Eren were reunited for the 57th expedition beyond the walls but quickly took a liking to the older woman, even thanking her for watching over Eren in her place for the time they were separated. Even if she never openly admitted it, Mikasa could tell that Petra thought of her uncle as more than a superior and had the feeling he himself also thought of her as more than a subordinate; Petra's feelings for Levi reflected her own feelings for Eren, after all.

Eren knew that too and it compounded his guilt as well as made him feel even more indebted to Levi and shattered any notion he might have had left of the man as being uncaring towards his subordinates; the corporal knew better than anyone that every soldier had a face, a name, a family who loved them, and not once did he ever tried to delude himself into believing otherwise. And while Levi was very good at hiding his true feelings, he looked as if he was trying his hardest not to break down when Petra's father approached him and inquired about his daughter as soon as they returned to the walls after escaping titan territory. Eventually, he had to tell the families of his fallen squad members the truth and revealing Petra's fate to her family was the hardest thing Levi had ever done. He may have been one of the greatest soldiers humanity has ever known but as a man, he felt that he was a failure since he was unable to protect the woman he loved, not even able to bring her body home for a proper burial she so deserved.

Though Levi spoke little of his first lieutenant after her death, it was apparent that her loss devastated him like no other; he mourned Petra every day for the rest of his life, always regretting that he never told her how he truly felt about her until it was too late, always believing that she died thinking he didn't love her when he really did. That was when Levi started urging Eren to acknowledge his feelings for Mikasa and not make the same mistake he did with Petra. Years after the wars ended, Levi managed to get government funding and approval to lead a new expedition to find the remains of the soldiers whose bodies were lost after the disastrous 57th but unfortunately, due to the passage of time, he and his crew had met with little success and the remains of Petra, as well as the rest of his squad members, were never found, at least, they would never be within his lifetime for the corporal fell ill and died not long after his return from the mission.

He was thirty-six years old.

At least, the official record stated that Levi Ackerman died of illness, but those closest to him knew he really died of a broken heart; his failure to recover Petra's remains and find closure seemed to be the final nail in his coffin. Without war, without Petra, Levi could found no other reason to go on living so he neglected himself and his health started to fail; even seeing untidiness in his surroundings no longer bothered him. When Eren and Mikasa as well as those closest to the corporal gathered around his deathbed to witness his final moments, they could barely recognize him as the man who was once revered as humanity's greatest soldier, the man who had groomed Eren to lead humans to victory against the titans. Before his death, Levi looked like a pale shadow of his former self, the strength in him that so many other soldiers admired and envied was gone as well as the fire in his eyes. He was so thin and frail that a child could probably break him in half but his appearance was not their main concern and ironically, it was Eren whom Levi allowed to hold his hand as he lay dying and with the last of his strength, told him to continue serving humanity in his place and to succeed where he had failed, his last words being _"Live a good life, be a good man, and take care of my niece, my last living blood."_

"It wasn't your fault, Eren. I know you loved and respected him like a brother. As do I." And she was right; they even named their eldest son, Levi Jaeger, in the corporal's honor, and their younger daughter, Petra Jaeger, in his first lieutenant's.

Eren nodded as he tightened his hold on his wife's hand before turning to her. Taking a deep breath and looking into her lovely blue-grey eyes, he said:

"Mikasa...tell me I have done my duty well, that I am a good man."

His wife raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What?"

"Please, Mika… I need to hear it."

For a moment, she was confused until it slowly dawned on her what her husband was really trying to say. He needed confirmation that he had served humanity well and thus worthy of the sacrifice Levi and so many others had made for him so he could survive and help humans win the war against the titans. Once she understood Eren's plea, Mikasa gently placed her hands on both sides of his face before leaning forward, touching her forehead to his and whispered:

"You are."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay, I hope my readers enjoyed this little snippit! I must admit, this particular installment was the most difficult one for me to write so far and I felt inspired after reading chapter 56 of the manga. For those who haven't read it yet and don't mind spoilers, Levi is revealed to have the same last name as Mikasa though his exact relation to her, if any, has not been revealed yet. My guess is that they could be blood-related and that he may possibly be her uncle, cousin, or even a long-lost brother. Since this story is written based off my own speculation, I have decided to make him her uncle. If future chapters and the actual ending of the series makes this story impossible, then I will consider it an AU since I have no way of knowing if Levi will survive the aftermath.


	16. Remember This Also

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan). I write this for your enjoyment only. This is a special installment written for Mother's Day and dedicated to all mothers everywhere :) It is set between chapter 54 and 56 of the manga. Enjoy!

Eren let out a sneeze as he made his way through the knee-high snow, keeping Mikasa's hand in his own to make sure they did not get separated in the confusion of the snowstorm surrounding them. It was bad enough they got separated from the rest of their scouting group when the storm hit so they must try their hardest to stick together as well as find a place to settle until the weather calmed so they can search for their comrades again. For his lover's piece of mind, Eren tried his best to remain confident and at least look like he knew where he was going, hoping that they would soon find their way, but after a few hours of wandering and searching fruitlessly, even Mikasa could tell that they were lost though she also knew her lover was too stubborn and proud to admit it.

As much as she hated it, Mikasa knew she had to ask for them to stop somewhere so she could rest. While she prided herself on her strength and endurance, Mikasa also knew that it would be suicide to continue their search in this snowstorm, especially now that the sun had begun to set and the evening was not long in coming. She had also not been feeling well these past few days since they had set out with their group to the remains of Wall Maria when the snow started to fall but hid her condition from Levi and Hanji because she did not want to be ordered to stay behind and be separated from Eren.

"Eren, it'll be dark soon. We'll have to stop somewhere for the night."

"I know… but where? There's not an inn for miles."

Looking around, Mikasa spotted what looked like a cave in the distance. "There!" she pointed out "It looks like we can stay there for the evening. It's not going to be as comfortable and warm as an inn but it's better than staying out in the cold all night."

As much as he hated to admit it, Eren knew Mikasa was right; there was no way they were going to find the rest of their group in the storm and dark and he himself was starting to get tired. "All right, Mika, we'll stay there for tonight. Heichou will probably give us hell for getting lost when we get back but I guess it can't be helped."

"We can worry about that later. For now, our first priority is finding shelter."

As soon as they were inside the cave, Eren and Mikasa set their bags as well as 3DMGs and weapons against the wall and gathered some kindling to make a fire. It was times like these, Eren was glad he paid attention when his father took him out on educational field trips to teach him basic skills for surviving out in the wild. It was also fortunate that they had packed some travel blankets to sleep on and had enough field rations and water to last for a few days so they would not have to hunt for food.

When the fire was finally lit, Mikasa laid some blankets on the cave floor while Eren was busy cooking dinner. When the food was ready, he offered her both their shares because he knew he did not need nearly as much sustenance as she did to survive due to his unique titan physiology. If need be, he could go up to a week without food and water though he really hoped they would be reunited with their comrades before then. As he watched Mikasa eat, Eren noticed that she seemed to have a bit of difficulty breathing as she started to cough.

"Mikasa? Are you feeling alright?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing in concern.

"I think I'm starting to come down with something; it's probably just a little cold, nothing to worry about. I've been sick before, it'll pass…"

"I see… well, to be safe, we'll need to keep you as warm as possible. Please sleep next to me tonight."

Though she normally hated being fussed over like a child, Eren was glad that for once, Mikasa decided not to argue with him; she couldn't, even if she wanted to with the cold sapping her energy and strength. And besides, sleeping right next to each other should be no problem for her since they were involved now.

After she had finished eating, Mikasa scooted and huddled up next to Eren who wrapped them both tightly in blankets to keep her warm and within moments, the day's stress and exhaustion took their toll on the young lovers and they both fell asleep in each other's arms.

The next morning, when Eren awoke, he unwrapped the blankets around Mikasa and himself and proceeded to wake up his sleeping partner when he noticed that something was terribly wrong. Apparently, Mikasa was not suffering from just a 'little cold' as she had claimed the night before; her blue-tinged skin was burning hot from fever accompanied by shaking chills, shortness of breath, and the fact that she was barely conscious. Eren's eyes widened in horror as he immediately recognized the symptoms of an infection that his father had treated many patients for, some of whom did not survive:

Pneumonia.

_Oh God, no… why here?! Why NOW?!_

Trying his hardest not to panic, Eren quickly wrapped the blankets tightly around Mikasa again before taking her into his arms and shooting out of the cave. The storm had passed and it was now daylight which was good because he needed to find their comrades, particularly Professor Hanji, and quick. Being a former student and assistant of his father's, Eren knew Hanji had first-hand experience in treating pneumonia and time was of the essence because without proper treatment, Mikasa would die within days, if not hours. Now that his vision was no longer being obstructed by the flying snow, Eren started to make his way back in the direction where he believed he and Mikasa was separated from Levi's squad the day before; he did not get far before the storm started up again, slowing him down. As he stopped to catch his breath, Eren backed up against a tree to rest. He was getting tired as well as sleepy and felt himself sliding to the ground, his eyes closing in sleep…

_No, Eren! Get up!_

Eren's eyes shot wide open upon hearing a familiar voice that seemed to have come out of nowhere.

"Who is it? Who's there?! Please help me!" he cried and he looked around in an attempt to find the mysterious speaker before he heard the voice call out to him again.

_Eren, run as a titan. Get help for Mikasa, posthaste!_

The youth found himself bewildered; there was not one person in sight and the unknown guide was instructing him to transform and find help for Mikasa. In his panic, Eren failed to realize that he could cover more ground quickly if he changed into titan form and mentally kicked himself for not thinking of it before. In obedience, he quickly bit down into his hand and transformed but realized as soon as he changed that he had no idea where to go.

As if in answer to his thoughts, the voice called out to him once again.

_Come with me, Eren; I will guide you…_

* * *

"This is all my fault; if only I had paid more attention, I would have noticed they were missing and gone back for them immediately!" Levi said in despair as he covered his face with his hands. It was rare to see the corporal show emotion like this and most people would think it's because Commander Smith had entrusted Eren to Levi's care and he loathed failure just as much as untidiness, but Hanji knew his concern for the boy and his foster sister went beyond that of duty as did her own concern for the two.

"Calm down, Heichou" the professor began gently "Eren and Mikasa could not have gone far in this snowstorm. As soon as it passes, we can all go out and look for them; I'm sure they must have found shelter to wait it out as we have."

"Yes, I believe so too." Armin assured, "Eren may be reckless with his own life but if Mikasa is with him, he will be more cautious."

Jean, Connie, Sasha, and Krista, who were tending to the large fireplace in the cave where the group was staying, listened quietly. Armin was a childhood friend of Eren and Mikasa's so he knew how resourceful the two were, but from what they could see, the corporal and professor also seemed to know a great deal about them as well. Jean had long accepted that Mikasa's heart will always belong to Eren but that still wouldn't stop him from killing the dark-haired titan shifter if he failed to protect her and she ended up dead because of him.

"Do you really think they'll be alright?" Sasha asked quietly with a hint of worry in her voice.

"I'm sure they'll be fine" Connie answered as he poked at the flames with his stick "They didn't graduate in the top ten of our class for nothing, you know."

"I think so too" Krista added "Eren may be impulsive but he will be alright as long as he has Mikasa's cool head to keep him in check."

"Eren had better take care of Mikasa…" Jean growled quietly "Or I swear I'll kill him myself even if Heichou doesn't."

Not knowing what else to say, Sasha, Krista, and Connie looked at each other in silence while avoiding their older friend's gaze of displeasure.

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity of running, Eren finally saw what appeared to be a group of cloaked people in the distance. At first, he thought they were other members of the Survey Corps but as he got closer, he noticed that they were not clad in the familiar garb and green cloaks that he associated with the soldiers from the walls, but Mikasa needed treatment as soon as possible and he could not be picky with whom he asked for help so before making himself visible to them, Eren set his lover down and reverted back to human form before picking her up again and approaching the group. As soon as he noticed the pair getting closer, the leader of the group made a gesture for his followers to halt and surrounded Eren and Mikasa. Exhausted from running and carrying his love, Eren collapsed to his knees with her in his arms and pleaded with the leader before finally falling over and passing out.

"Please…help her… help Mikasa…"

* * *

"Eren? Eren can you hear me, young man? You've nothing to fear now, you're safe."

Eren slowly opened his eyes to find himself in bed in a dimly lit room and saw a middle-aged man leaning over him, no doubt the leader of the group of people he had begged for help earlier.

"Hello…who are you? And how did you know my name?" the youth asked curiously.

The man laughed as he handed the key Eren wore around his neck as a pendant back to him. "Excuse me, forgive my prying. I found your name engraved upon this key. It was quite necessary to remove it before treating you for you were also starting to show signs of pneumonia yourself."

Eren gasped and shot up to a sitting position as he remembered his reason for seeking the help of this mysterious stranger and his people. "Mikasa! Please, tell me, where is she?"

"Calm down, young man, your lady friend is going to be all right. It is fortunate you came to us when you did for if you were even a day late, she might not have made it."

"I see…" Eren said quietly. After he calmed down, he finally noticed that the man before him had silky black hair and slanted eyes, just like Levi and Mikasa, only his features were more prominent than theirs because he was pure Asian and not mixed. "You… are you an Oriental?" Eren asked in amazement. It was the first time he had ever seen another of Levi's and Mikasa's race. It was widely believed that she and the corporal were the last of their people, at least the last known Asians living within the walls.

"Yes, indeed I am. There aren't many of us left, though, not even a hundred in this small underground village."

"Underground village…" so that's how these people were able to survive without the protection of the walls. Until now, Eren wasn't aware that there were even any humans living in the outside world, let alone people of a race believed to be nearly extinct. He had always thought it was impossible for anyone to survive outside the walls.

"Right. So how are you feeling?"

"Oh yes, I'm well, thank you! Sorry for my outburst earlier; I'm very thankful to you for helping my friend…and me."

The man smiled. "It's the least I can do… for the son of an old friend…"

Eren stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"You have Dr. Jaeger's searching eyes… the same... thoughtful voice. Yes, you are indeed his son. And if I had any other doubts, I only need to look at the name engraved upon that key around your neck" he answered with a wink.

"You knew my father? How?"

"He came to this village many years ago on his travels, saving many of the villagers who suffered from the same epidemic you are your friend have fallen victim to. In addition to that, he also taught me how to treat it thus saving your lives as well."

Eren couldn't believe his luck running into someone who was not only willing to help him and Mikasa, but also knew his father as well. "I have been searching for my father for some time now; do you have any idea where he may be?"

"Unfortunately, no. The last time I saw him was about ten years ago; during his visit, he was a guest in my home for but a few short weeks. He told me that he had a wife and young son living behind the walls and that they were always on his mind and in his heart no matter where his travels took him. I was grateful for his help in saving my people and am honored that I finally got a chance to repay that debt."

Eren was about to ask why the people of the village did not make themselves known to the people living behind the walls when he remembered that Orientals were among the favorite targets of slave traders; Mikasa's kidnapping when they were children had proven that.

"I see… I understand. I'm glad that my father was able to help you. My friend and I were on a mission with our comrades when we got separated in the snowstorm. They will come looking for us as soon as the storm passes and we must return to them."

"I know. I will not ask you for anything in return for my help except that you do not tell anyone about us."

"Yes, I promise. May I see Mikasa now?"

"Of course, follow me. But before you do, I think you should get properly dressed."

Eren felt his cheeks grow hot when he realized he was clad only in his pants. Taking back his shirt from the village chief, he quickly put it on before following the man into another room across the hall where he found Mikasa sleeping in bed. Her body temperature seemed to have returned to normal and her breathing was slow and even. Eren could not help but sigh with relief upon knowing that her illness had been treated and she would live.

Taking Mikasa's hand in his, Eren placed it against his cheek, unable to hold back a sigh of relief.

"I'm so glad; you don't know how much this means to me, Mr… I'm sorry, sir, I forgot to ask your name."

"It's quite all right. I'm Eijiro Seta, the village chief and doctor. Even if I had not known Dr. Jaeger, it is not in my nature to turn away those in need."

"I see… I know you said you don't need it, but I still wish there's something I can do for you in return."

Before the village chief could answer, the two heard the sound of the door being forced open and saw another young man about Eren's age staggering in with a painful wound in his shoulder.

Forgetting Eren for a moment, Eijiro quickly rushed to the youth's side and took him by the arms in order to steady him.

"Nanao, what happened?!" he demanded.

"Forgive me, father, but my hunting band has been attacked by a rogue titan as we were returning to the village!"

Eren's eyes widened upon realization that the titan had likely sensed his presence and followed him to the secret underground village. Normally, Eren himself would have been able to sense its presence as well but his concern for Mikasa had distracted him and he failed to notice until it was too late.

"Damn!" he swore "I'm sorry, Mr. Seta, this is all my fault; the titan attacked your son because of me. I have to go out and get rid of it before it draws even more titans to the village!"

As Eren turned to run out of the room, Eijiro caught him by the arm. "Wait a minute son, you can't just go out there and fight that creature alone without a weapon!"

Eren sighed in frustration but he knew the chief was right; he had left his and Mikasa's 3DMGs as well as their weapons back in the cave because there was no way he could take them and carry her at the same time. And he couldn't transform to fight the titan either because doing so might attract the attention of other titans and put the villagers as well as Mikasa in danger. Since she was still weak and recovering from her illness, his partner was in no shape to fight and thus could not help him this time.

"You're right, Mr. Seta. I'm sorry to ask but I will be needing your help again; do you have any weapons that I can use?"

"Yes, I do. Quickly, follow me; you can take whatever you need from my arsenal. I will also send my best men to assist you."

"I will go, too, father!" Nanao insisted but his father shook his head.

"No, son. You need to stay here and get that wound treated before it gets infected and that's an order; you're no good to the village if you're dead."

As much as he wanted to protest, Nanao knew his father was right; with his deep wound, he wouldn't be much use to Eren anyway, worse, he would most likely be a hindrance.

"I understand, father. Please forgive me for not being able to help you, Eren. I wish you the best of luck."

"It's alright, you've nothing to apologize for; that titan came here because of me so it's my duty to protect the village from it." Turning to Eijiro once more, Eren said: "Let's get going, Mr. Seta; we need to get rid of that creature as soon as possible!"

"Right, follow me!"

* * *

After he was finally armed, Eren quickly set out with the village chief's best hunters to fight the rogue titan that had easily forced itself past the guards who protected the entrance to the secret underground village. Eren knew this was likely going to be one of the most difficult battles he's ever faced because he cannot transform or use his 3DMG. However, it was not totally hopeless for he would have assistance from the chief's men who had their own effective weapons for fighting the titans, namely, cannons and rifles with bullets containing poison that could greatly weaken them so that hunters could kill them. In addition to the firearms, Eren and his helpers were also armed with spears and other close-range weapons doused in the same poison. While this wasn't what he was used to and he wasn't sure if they would be as effective as the blades he normally used, Eren knew that he had to make the best of what he was given for even if they were inferior weapons, having them was better than nothing at all.

While his leadership skills were not quite on par with Levi's, Eren still had enough front line experience fighting titans to effectively guide his helpers. His plan was to use himself as the bait to deter the intruder's attention enough for the chief's men to attack it; it was the most sensible thing to do since Eren knew he could not die easily. When the group confronted the creature, the youth ordered his helpers to hold their fire until he got a clean shot with his rifle to assure that he had its full attention; he was not to be disappointed when the titan turned to attack him, the poison from the projectile making its way through its veins. While distracting, one poisoned bullet was not going to be enough to take the monster down and Eren knew it so he did not try to run or resist when he saw a great hand swoop down and take him in its ironclad grip, a grip that would have crushed an ordinary human. But Eren was not an ordinary human.

He was a titan-shifter.

Fighting the pain and resisting the urge to injure himself and transform, Eren patiently waited for the titan to lift and bring him closer to its face. He knew the weak points of all titans were the nape of their necks but there was no way he could reach it from the position he was in and without 3DMGs, the chief's men were powerless to help him and they did not dare to fire for fear of injuring or killing him as they did not know of his vast healing and regenerative abilities. He had to think of something and quick before the creature swallowed him whole and force him to do what he had been desperately trying to avoid: transforming.

_The eyes, Eren! Go for the eyes!_

That voice again! Who was it that spoke to him in his time of need? Not knowing was driving Eren crazy but he knew he didn't have time to ponder the matter; he figured that he was just going to have to take a chance and trust his mysterious guide. Reaching behind his back and withdrawing the spear strapped to it, Eren took aim and plunged the sharp point into the only other area besides the nape of its neck that had any chance of killing the monster:

It's eyes.

Eren clenched his teeth and resisted the urge to close his own eyes when he plunged the poison-tipped spear into the right eye of the titan, using all of his strength to drive it into the back of the creature's very skull, it's blood splattering all over him, stinging his eyes. Now distracted by the agonizing pain, the titan roared and released Eren, sending the youth plummeting fifteen meters to the hard ground, a fall that would have surely killed an ordinary human but merely knocked the wind out of him. As soon as he hit the ground, Eren's vision went white and the world around him seemed to disappear. Without knowing how or why, Eren found himself standing in what appeared to be an endless sea of soft white light. He heard footsteps and when he looked ahead, saw the figure of a woman approaching him, a woman he had not seen in years but still recognized immediately.

 _"Mother…"_ he breathed as he brought his hand to his mouth. There was no mistaking it: it was Carla Jaeger and she looked so beautiful and serene with her brilliant and reassuring smile, like that terrible day nearly six years ago had never happened.

_Yes, it is I, my son…_

"I've missed you... so much…"

_Do you, Eren? I have been with you all this time…_

"You have?"

_Remember the time I told you to get help for Mikasa? The time I told you to attack the titan's eye? The time you nearly died at Trost? And so many other times…_

Eren choked as his eyes filled with tears. "I remember…"

_Remember this also: I love you…_

Before he could answer, Eren saw the figure of his mother fade away as he was blinded by the light. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in bed once again at his room in Eijiro's house; this time the elder was accompanied by the now awakened Mikasa as well as Levi, Hanji, and the rest of their squad.

"Eren, you're finally awake! What a relief!" Armin cried as he took his friend's hand in his own.

Eren stared at the familiar faces surrounding him as he slowly sat up from his bed. "Armin? Heichou, Professor, and everyone! How did you find me and Mikasa?"

"We were passing by this area to search for you two when we heard the commotion near the village entrance" Hanji answered "I was startled but not all that surprised to find an underground village here since I always suspected that your father obtained his vast knowledge of the titans by interacting with people outside the walls."

"The titans…wait! What about that titan I was fighting at the entrance?! And how on earth did I get here?"

"You've no need to worry; it's dead" Levi answered "It looks like you've weakened it enough for the rest of the chief's men to take it down. As for how you got here, Mr. Seta told us you were knocked out after the titan dropped you to the ground; you were also unconscious for the last three days."

"I was astounded when my men brought you back here alive" Eijiro confessed "I was sure that no one could have survived such a fall, let alone get away with only a few broken bones. I was also shocked at the rate at which your body was healing until Professor Hanji told me of your unusual powers and abilities. I guess I am once again in your father's debt as well as yours; you saved my village and I thank you from the bottom of my heart." The man made an unusual bow, bending over and putting both of his hands together in what Eren thought to be an Oriental gesture of gratitude.

"Please think nothing of it. It was the least I can do to thank you for helping Mikasa."

At the mention of her name, Mikasa blushed and Sasha and Krista could not help giggling at her embarrassment. Jean and Connie also had to stifle their own snickering as well. Though he would never admit it out of envy, Jean was relieved that Mikasa was safe because of Eren for he meant every word he said about killing him if he failed to protect her.

Eijiro nodded as he turned to the rest of Levi's squad. "It is also an honor to meet all of you; any friends of Eren's are friends of ours as well. If you are in need of anything, please let me know and I will do my best to provide it."

Upon hearing the village chief's offer, Sasha's eyes glittered with excitement and was about to ask for food but Hanji quickly elbowed her in the ribs to silence her; there was no need to impose on these villagers any further when they still had more than enough supplies to last them the rest of the trip to Wall Maria, especially after the chief was generous enough to take the sick Eren and Mikasa in and nursed them back to health.

"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Seta, but you need not trouble yourself for we already have everything we need. As soon as Eren is fully recovered, we will be on our way. And if you prefer, we will tell no one of your village or what happened here."

"Yes, that would be best. Until the world is a safer place for us, we must remain unknown to the rest of it."

"We understand, Mr. Seta. Hopefully, Eren will be well enough by tomorrow for us to take our leave. Would it be alright if we stayed here for tonight?" Levi asked.

"Of course, sir. I take it you are the leader of this group?"

"I am."

"Then say no more. You are all welcomed to stay in my house until young Eren is fully recovered. Now I'm sure he must still be a little tired from saving the village so we should let him get his rest."

"Right" Hanji agreed "So we'll be going now, Eren. Rest well for we must resume our journey to Wall Maria as soon as possible."

"I will, thank you" Eren assured his mentor as he watched her usher the rest of his comrades out of the room with Levi and Eijiro following suit. Only one person stayed behind and Hanji allowed it, knowing her relationship to Eren.

After everyone was gone and they were alone again, Mikasa removed her jacket and sat by Eren's bedside. "So how are you feeling?" she asked, "Do you think you'll be all right to move out again tomorrow?"

"I'll be good to go, I promise. I feel much better now that my body has healed and that I know you've recovered."

"Speaking of which, how did you know of this village and the chief who also happens to be a doctor AND your father's friend? And how did you know that attacking a titan's eyes also has the potential to kill it?"

Eren looked into the blue-grey eyes of his love and remembered the woman to whom he owed both of their lives; the woman who had never left his side, who had guided him in his times of most dire need.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you…" he answered.

Mikasa raised an eyebrow in curiosity. She knew that whatever Eren had to say was defiantly going to be interesting so leaning closer, she whispered:

"Try me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ok, my special Mother's Day fic finally finished! I was going to post this right on Mother's Day but got stuck with some delays so I'm sorry it's a little late! I also apologize for not being able to write good battle scenes for they are not my specialties like drama and romance. Anyway, the message of this story is that a mother's love knows no bounds and I hope you enjoyed it!


	17. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan). I write this for your enjoyment only; I hope you like it! This will be a bit different from my previous installments because it is mostly from Armin's POV and written in the first person; it will be my take on his possible feelings towards Mikasa. I always believed that the relationship between a trio of close friends would become complex later on if two are boys and one is a girl or vice versa because at one point a pair of the opposite gender may become a couple and the third friend may feel left out. Anyway, enjoy and please review!

_And that is why I want to be with him forever…_

Its lines like these that really do a number on me, make me want to cry, smile, laugh, and sigh at the same time. I don't know if she even realizes how much it pains me to hear her say things like that.

Mikasa…she was the first girl to ever look at me without really looking. To see my potential as a strategist and intellectual instead of the fragile, weak little boy other people saw that always needed protection. For a time, I also saw myself that way but it was she who inspired me, made me feel that I could be so much more than I was. She smiled at me- for me. No one had ever smiled at me before- at least not like Mikasa did. Or maybe because it was because she was the one smiling, a girl my age, taking an interest in me. A kind girl who cared when I fell and asked me if I was ok when my face looked flushed, a kind girl who would help me with my chores and leave me little treats when I was feeling down, a secretive girl who showed a side of herself to me that few others would ever see.

A taken girl… already in love.

I suppose it sounds cliché, but Eren is my best friend; I even think of him as my big brother. I envied his courage, his charisma, his strength, and to an extent, his fine looks as well. But most of all, I wanted to have the same kind of love and devotion he does; I wanted Mikasa to love me like she loves him.

But I know it's not possible.

At first, I thought she might have a crush on me. Mikasa was, after all, very affectionate, friendly, and understanding to those closest to her. But I suppose I was being rash and overly hopeful; of course, she would be affectionate, friendly, and understanding to me, she was my friend, after all! And like a good friend should, she tried to lift my spirits when I was down and make me see my strengths and potential when most people had difficulty seeing past my frail appearance.

I did appreciate that but at times, I felt it hurt more than it helped because I knew that beneath all her encouragement was pity for me as well, pity that I was not as strong, brave, or handsome as Eren. Eren, who jumped without hesitation, into the mouth of a titan while missing a leg and in excruciating pain, to pull me to safety, even if meant getting eaten alive himself. Could I have done the same if I were in his place? I want to believe I would, but deep down, I felt I might have been too scared. People often criticized Eren's recklessness but in truth, I admired it, even envied it to the point of being angry at him sometimes.

But I couldn't stay angry at Eren, at least not for very long since I loved him like I would love a brother of my own. It wasn't his fault for being protective of me and everyone else he cared about and it also wasn't his fault that it was in his nature to care more about others than himself, even if he was the one who was hurt most. He was always so kind to me; he only meant the best and he still does.

So now, I simply watch over them, sticking mainly to the sidelines, adding a few comments here and there, pushing them together at times, and pulling them apart at times as well as being there to help them make-up when they fight. Sometimes I get jealous, yes, and try to be by Mikasa's side more than Eren's, trying to subtly win her over and sleep beside her when we travel but there was always a line I never crossed because I knew where her heart really lies. And when you love someone, you want to see them happy, even if you are not part of their happiness.

And I do want to see Mikasa happy, happy with my best friend, Eren, the brother that I've always wanted, but never had. And who knows? Maybe in the future, I could be best man at their wedding, playing quiet witness as they pledge their love to each other for the rest of their lives. It would be romantic and sweet and I'll be very happy for them both, all while ignoring the quiet ache in my own heart.

Yes, Mikasa, I love you. But because I love you, I'll never let you know…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So what do you think of this little snippit? I know that Armin probably doesn't have those kind of feelings for Mikasa and if he did, he wouldn't likely show them since he knows how she feels about Eren but it was a fun idea to experiment with anyway and I hope you all like! ;)


End file.
